Copper Queens Step Up Ahead of WAFCON Mission

20.05.2025 | Football DNA

The Copper Queens are intensifying their preparations for the 2025 TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with a three-nation international friendly series featuring Zambia, Botswana, and hosts South Africa.

On Tuesday morning, the team held a training session at Edwin Imboela Stadium in Lusaka as part of their build-up to the FIFA international window set for the end of May. The friendly matches will serve as crucial preparation for WAFCON, which will be held in Morocco from 5 to 26 July 2025.

The first international players to report for camp are Turkey-based defenders Martha Tembo and Lushomo Mweemba, joined by winger Xiomara Mapepa, who plies her trade in China. The squad also features notable foreign-based stars including Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Racheal Kundananji.

The three matches will all be played in South Africa:

• Wednesday, 28 May 2025: South Africa vs Botswana

• Saturday, 31 May 2025: Zambia vs Botswana

• Tuesday, 3 June 2025: Zambia vs South Africa

  
  

These matches will offer the technical bench a chance to assess players, test formations, and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the tournament.

Provisional 35-Member Squad Highlights:

• Goalkeepers: Leticia Lungu, Catherine Musonda, Eunice Sakala, and others

• Defenders: Martha Tembo, Lushomo Mweemba, Margaret Belemu, among others

• Midfielders: Grace Chanda, Prisca Chilufya, Xiomara Mapepa, Ireen Lungu, and more

• Strikers: Barbra Banda, Racheal Kundananji, Kabange Mupopo, Fridah Mukoma

With a strong mix of local talent and international experience, Zambia is aiming for a solid run at WAFCON 2025. The upcoming friendlies will be a critical step in their quest for continental success.