TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON 2024: Zambia Team Profile
How the team qualified
Zambia secured their TotalEnergies CAF Women's Africa Cup of Nations place by eliminating Angola in the second round of the qualifiers. The Copper Queens recorded a dominant 6–0 away win in Luanda and followed it up with another 6–0 victory at home in Lusaka.
This emphatic triumph reflects the continued rise of a young yet experienced squad, which also featured at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.
TotalEnergies CAF WAFCON history
Zambia has emerged as a rising force in recent years. Their best performance to date remains a third-place finish in 2022, earned after defeating Nigeria in the third-place play-off. It marked their first-ever continental medal. The team went on to make history again by qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, where they claimed their first win at the tournament with a 3–1 victory over Costa Rica.
Players to watch
Barbra Banda: A true icon of Zambian football, the captain is a powerful and determined striker capable of changing a game single-handedly. She made headlines with back-to-back hat-tricks at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics against China and the Netherlands. She repeated the feat at Paris 2024 against Australia.
Now playing for Orlando Pride in the NWSL, she continues to impress with her consistency, charisma, and ability to step up in key moments. A natural leader, she embodies the hopes of a nation dreaming of establishing itself among the elite of women's football.
Racheal Kundananji: Together with Banda, she forms a formidable attacking duo. Her explosiveness, power, and eye for goal make her one of the most closely watched players on the continent. After a standout spell with Madrid CFF, she made headlines with a record-breaking move to Bay FC, becoming the most expensive African player in history and completing the second-costliest transfer in the history of women's football. At both club and international level, she is known for her composure in front of goal and her rare ability to create space in opposition defences.
Head Coach
Nora Häuptle was appointed as Zambia's head coach in January 2025, following a successful stint in charge of Ghana. The Swiss tactician and former international is known for her tactical discipline, defensive solidity, and preference for rapid transitional play. Since taking over, she has instilled a new level of discipline within the Copper Queens while building a competitive side around the attacking prowess of Banda and Kundananji to compete at continental and global stages.
Ambitions and Group Analysis
Under Häuptle's guidance, the Copper Queens aim to reach new heights by cementing their place among Africa's women's football powerhouses. Drawn in Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, they face a tough challenge. In this tightly contested group, the Copper Queens will look to continue their ascent and prove they can match the continent's strongest teams.
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