n a twist no one saw coming, ZESCO United have been dramatically bumped from the 2026 ABSA Cup—after initially being told they were in.
The Ndola-based giants, who hold the record for most ABSA Cup wins with seven trophies, thought they’d punched their ticket to the tournament.
But the Zambian Premier League (ZPL) quickly walked that back, admitting the confirmation was premature. Why? Their Week 17 fixture the very game that would decide their fate hadn’t even been played yet.
That set the stage for a high-stakes rescheduled clash against Mutondo Stars. It was win or go home for ZESCO.
Unfortunately for their fans, they came up short, falling 1-0 and watching their ABSA Cup hopes slip away.
The big winners in all this? FC MUZA. Sitting seventh at the Week 17 cutoff, they now inherit the spot ZESCO thought was theirs.
They’ll join seven other Super League heavyweights in the tournament, including league leaders Power Dynamos who put four past Green Buffaloes alongside Red Arrows, Zanaco, Nchanga Rangers, Mufulira Wanderers, and Kabwe Warriors.
The road to ABSA Cup glory kicks off with the preliminary rounds on March 21 and 22.
