Women’s football in Zambia has become one of the strongest growth stories in African football. The national team, known as the Copper Queens, has reached the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympic Games, giving Zambia a level of global visibility that few African women’s programs have matched. FIFA’s 2024 Olympic team profile emphasized Zambia’s star power through Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji, two forwards who have turned the Copper Queens into a dangerous attacking team against elite opposition.
National Team and International Level
The Copper Queens are the highest level of the women’s game in Zambia. Their rise has been built around pace, direct attacking play, and high-end individual talent. Banda and Kundananji are not just national-team stars; they are major figures in the global professional game. Banda’s move to Orlando Pride was reported at about $740,000, making her one of the most expensive women’s football transfers at the time, while Kundananji’s move to Bay FC had already set a world-record transfer fee.
Clubs and Player Pathway
The domestic pathway is also becoming more serious. Zambia’s FAZ Women’s Super Division is the top level of women’s club football in the country, and standings from the 2025/26 season show a competitive national league featuring clubs such as Green Buffaloes Women, Zesco Ndola Girls, Indeni Roses, Zanaco Ladies, and Red Arrows Women. That matters because Zambia’s national-team growth needs a club base capable of producing more than a few exceptional players.
Culture and Development
Zambia’s women’s football culture has changed because the Copper Queens have made the sport visible. The team’s appearances at global tournaments created a national reference point for girls’ football, while the success of Banda and Kundananji showed that Zambian players can reach the highest-paying and most competitive leagues in the world. The challenge is that rapid national-team success can run ahead of domestic infrastructure. Zambia now has to make sure coaching, facilities, youth competition, and club investment rise with the profile of the senior team.
Future of Women’s Football in Zambia
Zambia’s future is no longer about proving that it belongs. The country has already done that. The next stage is becoming more balanced, more consistent, and less dependent on individual attacking brilliance. With a stronger league, deeper player pool, and continued international experience, Zambia can remain one of Africa’s most compelling women’s football programs and push toward sustained success at WAFCON, Olympic, and World Cup level.
