Zambia: The Copper Queens
Making History one Copper Queen at a time
The Zambia Women’s National Team has come a long way from humble beginnings. With a FIFA ranking of 77, the Zambian Women are looking for an explosive start during their World Cup debut.
If you wanted a team that has proven that they belong, these Copper Queens won’t stand by silent. Zambia took charge of Women’s football back in 1982, becoming one of the First Nations to bring Women’s Football to a new light.
With new perspectives the Copper Queens had ambition and a goal…to qualify for the Women’s 2023 World Cup. With rocky awakenings, Zambia had a massive comeback starting their campaign in late 2022.
2022 was the year to watch these ladies step into their confidence. After qualifying for the 2020 Olympics, and falling flat during competition, the next years showed a head of success for them.
WAFCON ‘22
In July 2022 the Zambia Women’s team clenched a bronze medal during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
Zambia became only the fourth South African nation to place in WAFCON. With a historic run, the Zambia team had a new found confidence.
Starting off the tournament with a 0–0 tie with Cameroon on July 2nd, their record only went up from there. Zambia took the field a mere 4 days later shocking the nation with what happened next. Taking on Tunisia, Zambia faced struggles with forming a solid back line. Ultimately, the Copper Queens left victorious with a 1–0 win.
On July 9, Togo was next on Zambia’s list. With a breezy 4–1 win, Zambia advanced to quarter-finals.
Senegal was the favorite to win in the matchup that occurred on July 13, 2022. Ending full time with a score of 1–1, the game went into penalties. Zambia, once again, faced the odds and won 4–2 in penalties. This victory propelling them closer to the finals, but they had to go through South Africa first.
Zambia fell short during their match with South Africa, coming to a heartbreaking 0–1 loss ending their race to gold.
However, these ladies were not finished yet. Playing for bronze, Nigeria was the only other team in their path. With a thrilling 1–0 win, Zambia rose to the occasion winning bronze.
This marked the start of a momentous advancement in Women’s football for many African nations.
COSAFA ‘22
In September 2022 for the first time in 20 years Zambia won the Council of South African Football Associations tournament.
Zambia who was once ranked at 126 in March of 2012 by FIFA, was suddenly seeing a huge jump in rankings due to their contribution to the game.
On September 1, Zambia started the first round of the tournament defeating Namibia 2–0. Quickly adding to their goal count with a 7–0 win against Lesotho.
Following a 2–0 win against Eswatini, the Copper Queens were headed to semi-finals yet again. This time, they were not taking no for an answer.
On September 9th, Zambia had to take on Tanzania. A back and forth game came to an end with Zambia leading the pack still. With a 2–1 victory, Zambia was finals bound.
Falling short to South Africa only a few months prior, they were once again opponents. Zambia was on a mission, and failure was not an option. Zambia took the championship home with a stunning 1–0 win against a formidable opponent.
FIFA ‘23 Prediction
Zambia was one of the first teams to qualify for the 2023 World Cup in Australia/New Zealand. Their most recent game held on June 11, they found themselves victorious again. With a 32 women provisional roster, coach Bruce Mwape, has his work cut out for him in Australia/New Zealand.
While the Zambia women have a lot of potential to get some World Cup games under their belt, their run may not last long. Zambia may struggle finding their way out of group stages with Spain, Costa Rica, and Japan all set for Group C. Japan and Spain seem to be their heaviest competition. With Japan predicted to make it out leading Group C. Zambia’s obstacles increase immensely.
Zambia’s next friendly match is scheduled for June 22 as they take on the Republic of Ireland at 2:30 PM.
The Copper Queens debut World Cup match will be held on July 22 in Hamilton New Zealand against No. 11 Japan.
