By MICHAEL MIYOBA
FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga says it is not enough that after 59 years of independence Zambia only won the Africa Cup of Nations once after competing in three finals in 1974, 1994 and 2012.
Kamanga expressed disappointment that after almost 60 years of the country’s independence, the Chipolopolo boys have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.
The FAZ chief is comforted by the fact that the senior women’s national team attained FIFA World Cup qualification credentials alongside the Under-20 boys which competed at three World Cup championships (1999, 2007 and 2017) while the U-17 women competed at the 2014 World Cup.
Kamanga said at 59 years, Zambia should be gunning to better the records and matching up with the new attained age.
All hope is however not lost for the FAZ president who believes that the Zambia national team can qualify for the 2026 World Cup which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“We are in a better place now that the 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States of America where our closest chase in 1994 almost led us to after losing an entire national team,” Kamanga said.
“Our confidence is derived from the fact that we have a generation of players that seem to have a hunger to achieve something special for the motherland,” he said.
Kamanga has called on the corporate world to join forces with FAZ to ensure that the independence spirit through sports is re-energised.
Kamanga said FAZ remain obliged to espouse the spirit of independence by joining the football communities through the independence tournaments which happen at different levels around the country.
He noted that as the country is marching to the 60th independence anniversary milestone next year, it would be a great idea to replicate the Independence Cup tournament.
“As Zambia hits the 59 years, we need to renew our commitment to matching up our football achievements to how old Zambia is,” Kamanga said.
Meanwhile, Kamanga has reaffirmed the association’s commitment to keep knocking on the doors of various corporates to ensure that the dream of revolutionising the sponsorship of the Zambian game is actualised.
Kamanga hailed the Zambian Premier League that sealed a K10 million annual sponsorship deal with Betway.
Kamanga said there are many more opportunities for transport, hospitality, insurance, telecommunications, banking, and security that corporates can utilise in the Zambian game.
