GROUP F IS TRICKY, BUT WE ARE READY TO WORK – KANYEMBA

05.06.2025 | Football DNA

Copper Princesses head coach Carol Kanyemba remains optimistic yet realistic following the official draw for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025, which placed Zambia in a challenging Group F alongside Japan, New Zealand, and Paraguay.

Reacting to Wednesday’s draw held in Rabat, Kanyemba acknowledged the tough path that lies ahead for the COSAFA champions, especially as they prepare to face Japan for a second consecutive time on the global stage.

“It’s a very tricky group with Japan, New Zealand and Paraguay. We meet Japan for the second time — not an easy feat. We were actually praying not to meet them because they gave us a tough time last time,” said Kanyemba.

Zambia fell 4-1 to Japan in the group stage of the 2024 edition held in the Dominican Republic, and the memory of that encounter continues to drive Kanyemba and her squad to aim higher this time around.

“Meeting Japan again is not really child’s play, but they gave us a good test and we had a good run. I bet some of the girls we took to last year’s World Cup are very positive and they want to do something better,” she added.

While the Copper Princesses made their World Cup debut in 2024, Kanyemba stressed the need for early preparations and hard work to ensure that the team competes at the highest level in Morocco.

“We had our first outing last year which wasn't good enough, but regardless of the teams we’ve been drawn against, we want to do our best. We are ready to work hard,” she said.

“As coaches, it’s a lot of work. Our video analysts and the entire technical bench — our job starts now.”

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025 will run from 17 October to 8 November 2025, with all matches set to take place in Rabat. This edition marks a historic milestone as the tournament will be hosted on African soil for the very first time.

As the Copper Princesses gear up for the global stage, fans across Zambia and the region will be watching closely — hopeful that this determined young squad can rise to the challenge.