COPPER QUEENS SET FOR WAFCON OPENER AGAINST HOSTS MOROCCO

05.07.2025 | Football DNA ⚽️

The stage is set in Rabat as the Copper Queens begin their quest for continental glory with a mouthwatering clash against hosts Morocco in the opening match of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2024.

Scheduled for 22h00 CAT on Saturday under the floodlights at the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, the Group A encounter will be preceded by a colourful opening ceremony to officially launch Africa’s premier women’s football competition.

Growing Rivalry

While this will be the first-ever WAFCON meeting between Zambia and Morocco, the two sides have developed a budding rivalry over the past two years. Since 2022, they’ve faced each other five times, producing fiercely contested matches both in Zambia and Morocco.

Their latest encounter came just this April during the CAF Women’s Olympic Qualifiers. Morocco claimed a slender 2-1 win in Ndola, but the Copper Queens responded emphatically, securing a 2-0 victory in Rabat to book their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympics on aggregate.

Before that, in September 2023, Zambia dominated two friendly matches, winning 2-0 and 6-2. The only stalemate between the sides was a 1-1 draw in Rabat in 2022, when both nations were fine-tuning their squads ahead of WAFCON 2022—a tournament that saw Zambia finish third and Morocco as runners-up.

High Hopes and Key Figures

Both teams head into this opener brimming with ambition. Zambia, under Swiss coach Nora Häuptle, arrive with a balanced and experienced squad led by CAF African Women’s Player of the Year Barbra Banda. They also welcome back star striker Racheal Kundananji, returning to the WAFCON stage after her impactful 2018 campaign.

Morocco, coached by Spaniard Jorge Vilda, are eager to build on their recent surge in women’s football, highlighted by their run to the 2022 WAFCON final and participation at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Playing on home soil again, they’ll be determined to make a strong statement.

Tournament Context

This marks Zambia’s fourth WAFCON appearance, following outings in 2014, 2018, and 2022. In opening matches, the Copper Queens have recorded a win, draw, and loss, with their sole defeat coming against hosts Namibia in 2014.

Saturday’s winner will seize an early advantage in Group A, which also features Senegal and DR Congo who meet on Sunday. With both Zambia and Morocco eager to lay down a marker, fans can expect a thrilling contest to ignite WAFCON 2024.