FAZ Appoints Moses Sichone as New Chipolopolo Head Coach

05.11.2025 | Football DNA ⚽️

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) announced that former Chipolopolo defender and long-serving assistant coach Moses Sichone has been appointed as the new head coach of the Zambia national football team.

According to the association, Sichone will be assisted by his former teammates Andrew Sinkala and Perry Mutapa. Sinkala, who has been based in Germany, joins the national setup alongside Mutapa, who currently serves as head coach of Green Eagles Football Club.

FAZ further revealed that 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winning goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene has been named goalkeeper coach, while Noel Mwandila will handle the strikers. Joseph Musonda, another Chipolopolo legend, has been appointed fitness coach.

FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande explained that the new technical bench will lead the team into the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. He stated that the association was pleased to usher in a new chapter for the Chipolopolo, describing the appointments as a reflection of confidence in local talent with international experience.

Shepande mentioned that FAZ had considered the practical challenges of hiring a foreign coach on short notice and decided to place trust in local coaches who possess significant international exposure. He noted that the new bench members had gathered vast experience from their playing days in top leagues and had transitioned smoothly into coaching — a journey FAZ had monitored over the years.

Sichone, who previously served as assistant to Avram Grant, is joined by Sinkala — a former midfielder who featured for Bundesliga sides Bayern Munich, FC Köln, Augsburg, and SC Paderborn before moving into coaching in Germany. Sinkala currently holds a UEFA B Plus Licence and is attached to FC Hennef, having previously coached TFC Cologne.

Mutapa, who played alongside Sinkala at the 1999 FIFA Under-20 World Cup under coach Patrick Phiri, went on to establish himself as a prominent coach in the Zambian Super League.

Meanwhile, Mweene continues to serve as goalkeeper coach at Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa.

The newly formed technical bench is expected to take charge of the Chipolopolo during the upcoming FIFA international window on November 15 and 18, when Zambia faces South Africa and Burundi in friendly matches.

The announcement was made by Nkweto Tembwe, FAZ Head of Media and Communications, on behalf of the Football Association of Zambia.