Clifford Mulenga Calls for Zonal League Restructuring to Revive Zambian Football

03.03.2026 | Football DNA

Former Chipolopolo winger Clifford Mulenga has expressed concern over the state of Zambian football, stating that the game is struggling both locally and internationally.

Writing on the matter, Mulenga said that while football is a business, the Zambian game is not performing well due to a lack of proper infrastructure, limited sponsorship, weak player development programmes and poor club marketing structures.

He proposed that the Football Association of Zambia consider restructuring the Premier National Leagues — both men’s and women’s divisions — into four regional zones to ease the financial burden on clubs.

According to Mulenga, the proposed zones would be:

Southern and Western provinces

Lusaka, Eastern and Central provinces

Copperbelt and Northwestern provinces

Luapula, Muchinga and Northern provinces

He suggested that each zone should comprise 16 teams, with the winners earning promotion to the Super League.

Mulenga argued that creating zonal leagues would significantly reduce travel and accommodation costs, making it more financially sustainable for clubs that are currently operating on limited budgets. He added that the move would also boost provincial football development and foster healthy competition across regions.

The former winger further urged FAZ to implement deliberate policies aimed at strengthening youth development, including a requirement for clubs to field at least five Under-23 players for the full 90 minutes.

He also called on Provincial Chairpersons to actively support football development in their respective areas, emphasizing that grassroots and provincial football should be prioritised alongside national team commitments to ensure long-term sustainability of the sport.