Malupande Confident as Zambia Target Back-to-Back COSAFA U-17 Titles
Zambia Under-17 captain Nthasilwe Malupande has expressed confidence that the defending champions are motivated to push through a challenging group and retain the 2025 COSAFA Under-17 Championship trophy.
The regional tournament kicks off this afternoon in Harare, Zimbabwe, featuring 12 teams vying for three places at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. The continental finals will, in turn, serve as qualifiers for the expanded 48-nation 2026 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar, where Africa will be represented by 10 teams.
Zambia, who lifted the COSAFA crown last year, are drawn in a tough Group B alongside long-time rivals South Africa, as well as Madagascar and Malawi. Group A includes hosts Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Comoros, and eSwatini, while Group C features Angola, Botswana, Mauritius, and Lesotho.
Malupande admitted the group stage will not be easy but insisted that the squad’s morale and preparations remain high.
“Our preparations are going well, and we are really confident we are going to defend the COSAFA title,” he said. “So far the morale is okay. Everyone is pushing, and we are going to do it and qualify again for AFCON. It’s a tough group. We are not going to underrate any teams. Starting with South Africa, we just have to make sure that we beat South Africa, and we’ll beat Malawi and Madagascar too.”
The young skipper believes Zambia’s experience as defending champions will give them an edge, but stressed that focus and discipline will be vital. The Junior Chipolopolo open their campaign on Friday against South Africa at 15:00 in Harare, a fixture already shaping up to be one of the tournament’s early highlights.
