In the latest FIFA women’s world rankings, the Zambia Women’s National Football Team has been placed 5th in Africa and 64th globally.
This position underscores the team’s steady rise and growing competitiveness on the continent, though they still trail behind Africa’s top four sides: Nigeria (1st in Africa, 34th globally), South Africa (2nd, 58th), Ghana (3rd, 59th), and Morocco (4th, 62nd).
While the ranking confirms Zambia’s progress, it also highlights the clear gap that must still be bridged to consistently challenge the continent’s elite teams.
With qualification already secured for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, the focus now shifts to preparation and long-term strategy.
The tournament will serve as a crucial pathway to the FIFA Women’s World Cup, where four African slots are available. This makes stability within the technical setup more important than ever.
However, the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the head coach position remains a pressing issue that the Football Association of Zambia must resolve quickly.
Time is limited effective international preparation depends on early planning, structured camps, and consistent leadership.
Zambia’s current player pool has shown it can compete, but major tournament success is closely tied to the quality of preparation.
The objective is clear: turn potential into results. If administrative and technical issues are addressed in a timely manner, Zambia has a realistic pathway to challenging for a second FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification.
Yet the margin for error is narrow, and any delays in decision-making could seriously undermine that ambition.
