Kamanga Urges Football-First Focus Ahead of Crucial FAZ Elections
Lusaka, 5 May 2025 — Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Andrew Kamanga has called for unity and a renewed focus on football development as the nation heads into a decisive electoral week for the game’s leadership.
In his weekly President’s Corner column titled “Let Football be the Winner,” Kamanga stressed the need to keep the sport at the center of the national conversation amid ongoing political tensions within the football fraternity.
“This week is very crucial in redefining the course of our game as we go to the polls,” Kamanga wrote. “We are hopeful that this election season will not drag on further as it is hurting our core football business.”
He lamented that, instead of celebrating recent milestones—such as the Under-17 boys’ and girls’ qualifications for the FIFA World Cup and the Under-20 men’s participation in the ongoing AFCON—Zambia’s football discourse has been dragged into courtroom battles.
Kamanga emphasized the importance of consistent, grassroots-centered football development, highlighting the progress made through Zambia’s 10-year strategic plan.
“We should be talking about cascading national teams from the under-15 level to the U-13, U-11, and U-9 in the next development cycle. The success of our under-17 teams stems from a strong under-15 foundation,”
He also praised the rise of women’s football in Zambia, crediting deliberate investment in grassroots structures and coaching. Notably, the Copper Queens have qualified for back-to-back Olympics (Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024), made a debut World Cup appearance (2023), and secured a historic third-place finish at the 2022 Women’s AFCON.
Kamanga warned that the challenge ahead lies in consolidating these gains, calling for continued refinement of development models.
“Like all models, our development approach has its limitations, but we remain confident that further improvements lie ahead. We must ensure that we hit the highs the country desperately desires,”
As the elections approach, Kamanga urged candidates to uphold civility and truth in their campaigns, with Zambia preparing to host a high-level delegation from FIFA, CAF, and COSAFA following the failed AGM in Livingstone earlier this year.
“Our prayer is that our football will be spared the embarrassment of Livingstone that cast our game in bad light. Let us ensure that football ultimately emerges as the winner,” he concluded.
