FAZ President Pays Tribute to Late Women’s Football Pioneer Mama Highness Saili

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President has paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Mama Highness Saili, hailing her as a trailblazer of the women’s game in Zambia. Speaking during the funeral service, the FAZ boss described her passing as a “sad chapter in the history of our game,” especially poignant as it coincides with a peak moment for women’s football in the country.

“It is quite ironic that we are putting Mama Highness Saili to rest at a time our women’s game has taken a high pedestal,” said the President, highlighting that the current success of the Copper Queens and the growing popularity of women’s football can be traced back to her early contributions in the 1990s, when the league was still in its infancy.

The FAZ President credited Mama Saili and other early pioneers with laying the foundation for today’s accomplishments, emphasizing that their unwavering commitment has borne fruit in the form of a nationally celebrated women’s team.

“As we lay our mother to rest, we call upon our Copper Queens who are in Morocco to win their opening match at the Women Africa Cup of Nations as a befitting send-off to a true matriarch of the sport,” he added.

Addressing the bereaved family and the wider football fraternity, the President urged unity and comforted mourners with the reminder of Mama Saili’s wide-reaching impact.

“May we turn her death into a celebration of the many lives she touched,” he concluded.

Mama Highness Saili’s contribution to the development and visibility of women’s football in Zambia will remain a lasting legacy.

🕯️ May her soul rest in eternal peace.