“It Belongs to Zambia” – Kaunda Confident Ahead of COSAFA U-17 Title Defence

Zambia Under-17 head coach Chris Kaunda has declared that the COSAFA Under-17 Championship trophy “belongs to Zambia” as his side prepares to defend their crown at this year’s tournament in Harare, Zimbabwe.

The regional competition kicks off this afternoon, with 12 nations vying for three spots at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The continental finals will, in turn, act as qualifiers for the expanded 48-nation 2026 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, where Africa will be represented by 10 teams.

Zambia, reigning champions after lifting the COSAFA title last year, have been drawn in a challenging Group B alongside rivals South Africa, Madagascar, and Malawi. Hosts Zimbabwe head Group A with Mozambique, Comoros, and eSwatini, while Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, and Lesotho make up Group C.

Kaunda revealed that continuity in his squad could be a crucial advantage, with several players returning from last year’s successful campaign.

“We have about five boys from the previous team that qualified for the World Cup, and they’re guiding the newcomers,” he explained. “The preparation time has been short, but so far so good—they are responding well. Me, I don’t believe in the names of countries. The game is played on the pitch, and anything can happen.”

The coach emphasized that Zambia’s focus is not on past glories but on maintaining high standards.

“Of course we would love to retain the title. No one wants to lose. It belongs to Zambia,” he said. “Other teams have new boys too, and with the new system where you must qualify every year for AFCON, squads change often. We just need to stay focused and prepare the boys.”

Zambia open their campaign against South Africa on Friday at 15:00 in Harare.