Zambia to Open COSAFA U-17 Girls’ Title Defence Against Mozambique in Windhoek

by Joe S.T · Published May 5, 2025 · Updated May 16, 2025

Zambia celebrates during the during the COSAFA Under 17 Girls Championship Final match between Zambia and Lesotho on the13 December 2024 at UJ UJ Soweto Stadium in Soweto © Sydney Mahlangu /BackpagePix

WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA – Defending champions Zambia will begin their quest for back-to-back titles at the 2025 COSAFA Under-17 Girls’ Championship with a high-stakes clash against Mozambique in the tournament’s opening fixture this Saturday, May 10.

The Group B showdown is scheduled to kick off at 12h00 CAT (10h00 GMT) at the Hage Geingob Stadium and will be streamed live on FIFA+. The opening day of the competition will also feature a Group A encounter between hosts Namibia and Malawi at 15h00 CAT (13h00 GMT).

All matches in the week-long tournament, which runs from May 10 to 17, will be played at the Hage Geingob Stadium in Windhoek.

Group C action begins on Sunday, May 11, with Lesotho facing Botswana at 12h00 CAT (10h00 GMT). Group fixtures will conclude on May 14, ahead of the semifinals set for May 16. The championship final and third-place playoff will be staged on May 17, with the decider kicking off at 14h00 CAT (12h00 GMT).

The COSAFA U-17 Girls’ Championship has produced four different winners across its five previous editions. Guest nations dominated the early years, with Uganda winning in 2019 and Tanzania defeating Zambia on penalties in 2020. Zambia secured their maiden title in 2021 with a convincing 4-0 victory over Botswana, before falling to South Africa in a thrilling 4-3 final in 2022.

After a break in 2023, the competition returned in emphatic fashion last year, with Zambia storming to the title following a dominant 15-0 win over Lesotho in the final.

Beyond silverware, the tournament has proven to be a valuable platform for youth development. Several former participants have graduated to senior national teams, underlining the growing competitiveness and talent within the region.

The 2019 edition also made history when South Africa registered a record-breaking 28-0 victory over Seychelles in the group stage, the largest scoreline ever recorded in an African international match. However, as regional teams continue to improve, matches have become more tightly contested in recent editions.