Zambia Futsal Team Off to Thailand for Continental Challenge Cup

The Zambia National Futsal Team has officially departed for Thailand to take part in the 2025 Continental Futsal Championship, following a spirited sendoff ceremony held on Saturday night at Prince Charles Hotel in Makeni.

Speaking on behalf of Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Keith Mweemba, who is currently on international duty, FAZ vice president Mutale Ng’andu rallied support for the squad, reaffirming the association’s commitment to developing futsal alongside mainstream football and beach soccer.

“I am honoured to stand before you today during this momentous sendoff ceremony for our Zambia National Futsal Team bound for Thailand,” said Ng’andu. “Though the president is away, he is very much in sync with this assignment and attaches great importance to it.”

Zambia is set to face global futsal powerhouses including Australia, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and hosts Thailand in what promises to be a high-caliber competition. FAZ sees this participation as a critical step in the growth of the sport locally.

“Our executive committee has committed to spreading support to not just conventional football but futsal and beach soccer,” Ng’andu emphasized. “We have already signaled our seriousness by rebooting the futsal and beach football committee with fresh appointments that reflect our commitment.”

Ng’andu also revealed that plans are underway to launch a beach soccer league in Zambia, with groundwork being laid across various local beaches. This is part of FAZ’s broader strategy to align with FIFA’s evolving sports calendar and to position Zambia competitively on multiple fronts, including the regional COSAFA Beach Soccer Tournament.

In his closing remarks, Ng’andu urged the team to work hard and represent the country with pride: “Fly our flag very high. We will be rooting for you and hoping that this stands out as our build-up from our last Africa Cup of Nations appearance. Wishing you a safe trip and a fruitful tournament.”

The team jetted off early Sunday morning and will kick off their campaign in Thailand this coming week.