FAZ Confirms Two High-Profile Friendlies in Spain, Rubbishes Claims of Inflated Camp Expenses

13.12.2025 | Football DNA ⚽️

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has confirmed that the Chipolopolo Boys will play two international friendly matches while in camp in Spain as part of preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

In a press statement issued on Saturday, 13th December 2025, FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande announced that Zambia will face the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on December 16, before taking on reigning African champions Ivory Coast 24 hours later.

Shepande explained that due to the tight scheduling of the two matches, the technical bench, led by coach Moses Sichone, will deploy two different squads to minimise the risk of injuries and player fatigue.

He further disclosed that the friendly against DRC will largely feature locally based players, as new FIFA regulations only permit the release of foreign-based players from December 15.

“Most foreign-based players will not be available for the DRC match due to the new FIFA release dates. They will, however, be available for selection against Ivory Coast. Players who feature in the first match will also be rested to allow adequate recovery ahead of the team’s departure to Morocco,” Shepande said.

The FAZ General Secretary expressed confidence that the Spain camp will be highly beneficial to the team’s AFCON preparations, offering the technical team valuable match exposure against strong opposition.

Meanwhile, FAZ has strongly dismissed circulating social media reports alleging that the association is working with an agent to inflate hotel accommodation costs for the team’s camp in Murcia, Spain.

Shepande described the allegations as false, malicious, and aimed at diverting attention from the national team’s preparations for AFCON.

“There is no way FAZ can inflate costs or misuse public funds. All expenditures are subjected to strict government scrutiny. Officials from the Ministry of Sports are always part of the advance team to verify accommodation and logistics. At no point can FAZ manipulate government into paying for questionable services,” he said.

He also emphasized that the current FAZ executive committee, led by President Keith Mweemba, was elected on a platform of good governance, transparency, fairness, and accountability, adding that the association will not engage in corrupt or unethical practices.

Shepande has since urged members of the football fraternity and the general public to disregard misleading information, particularly content shared on social media by individuals intent on tarnishing the image of the association.