The Zambia Women’s Senior National Football team, the Copper Queens, has concluded a successful local pre-camp as preparations intensify for the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) scheduled for March, 2026 in Morocco.
The Copper Queens will face a tough Group C comprising Nigeria, Egypt, and Malawi at the continental tournament.
Speaking at the end of the final training, Copper Queen’s Head coach, Nora Häuptle, said the camp provided an important platform for assessment, fitness conditioning, and tactical fine-tuning.
Häuptle said the technical bench worked with 38 locally based players, including six under-20 players, who were called up to broaden the selection pool.
She expressed satisfaction with the players’ attitude and response to training, noting that the intensity and mentality displayed throughout the sessions were encouraging.
“The players responded very well, the mentality and intensity in training are good,” she said.
She explained that the technical team set three key objectives during the camp, with fitness conditioning topping the agenda.
“Our first objective was to bring the players into good physical shape. We conducted fitness tests, a lot of running sessions, and small-sided games to ensure improvement in fitness levels,” she explained.
The coach further disclosed that improving defensive organisation was a major focus area, as the Copper Queens aim to reduce the number of goals conceded during matches.
“We want to be more flexible in our tactical approach. At WAFCON, we will face different opponents with different styles of play, and we need to have answers for all of them,” she said.
Häuptle emphasised that the preparations are not focused on one opponent alone.
“Nigeria is a strong team, but Egypt and Malawi present very different challenges. We need to be versatile and well-prepared tactically for all three opponents,” she said.
Häuptle also highlighted the importance of blending young players with experience.
She praised the young players for their impressive performances during camp and their ability to integrate well with senior members of the squad.
Häuptle added that preparations for international exposure ahead of WAFCON also include plans for high-level friendly matches during the February FIFA window, with a proposed tournament in Dubai still awaiting financial approval.
Meanwhile, Copper Queens striker Avell Chitundu, said the just-concluded local training camp has been vital in sharpening the squad’s readiness ahead of the Women’s WAFCON, describing the preparations as a huge step in the right direction.
The league’s top scorer acknowledged the intense competition within the national team setup, noting that consistency and hard work remain key factors in earning and retaining a place in the squad.
And Copper Queens midfielder Evarine Katongo, said the local training camp has played a crucial role in strengthening unity, competition, and focus within the squad as Zambia intensifies preparations for the continental tournament to be held in Morocco.
Katongo described the camp as productive, noting that players showed commitment and determination as they fought to impress the technical bench.
She added that the local players benefited greatly from the sessions, as the camp exposed areas that needed improvement ahead of the WAFCON tournament.
Katongo revealed that the Copper Queens have set ambitious targets, including reaching the latter stages of the tournament and securing qualification to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“Our main target is to qualify for the World Cup,” she said, adding that, “At WAFCON, you want to reach the semifinals and go an extra mile so that we qualify.”
