2025 Nortable Sporting Highlights By Paul Simpelwe

Zambia’s 2025 sporting calendar unfolded as a year of contrasts — marked by leadership changes, difficult lessons, inspiring breakthroughs, and moments that renewed hope across multiple disciplines. While football faced one of its most challenging seasons both administratively and competitively, the Copper Queens provided optimism with strong international performances.

Beyond the pitch, swimming emerged as one of the country’s brightest success stories, delivering historic qualifications, medals, and rising young stars gaining continental recognition. Tennis experienced a long-awaited revival following international reinstatement, signalling Zambia’s return to global competition, while boxing celebrated a historic milestone with a world title victory that reawakened national pride.

Athletics, golf, and grassroots competitions also demonstrated steady growth, highlighting emerging talent and increased participation nationwide. Overall, 2025 proved to be a defining year — one that tested resilience but ultimately reaffirmed Zambia’s enduring sporting spirit and promising future.

 

 

 

From boardrooms to boxing rings, swimming pools to tennis courts, Zambia’s 2025 sports season was a rollercoaster—defined by painful lessons, historic breakthroughs, and a renewed belief in the nation’s athletic future. It was a year that demanded resilience, rewarded excellence, and reminded the world that Zambia’s sporting spirit never fades.

Football

A dramatic regime change at Football House to painful lessons on the pitch and flashes of brilliance from the youth and women’s teams, 2025 unfolded into an emotional year for the country’s biggest sport.

The biggest football story of 2025 began off the pitch. After nine years at the helm, Andrew Kamanga was unseated by Instead, it foretold the bleak months ahead. Keith Mweemba in a highly contested FAZ election. Held on May 9 in Kabwe, the reconvened AGM ended with Mweemba collecting 45 votes, defeating Kamanga (20), Adrian Kashala (17), and two candidates who failed to gain support. The vote followed court injunctions, political tension and direct oversight from FIFA, CAF and COSAFA.

Mweemba now leads FAZ until 2029 with the mandate to rebuild trust and restore competitiveness.

But as leadership changed hands, the national team’s fortunes continued to spiral.

The Chipolopolo endured a bruising year. The warning signs flashed early. In March, Avram Grant’s charges traveled to Moscow for a friendly that ended in a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Russia. It was meant to be a test of character.

At the COSAFA Championship, Chipolopolo’s attempt to reclaim the title slipped away quickly, 1-0 loss to Comoros, followed by a 3-3 draw with Botswana signaled Zambia’s early return from the tournament. The team hoped to bounce back in the next tournament.

Then came the catastrophic CHAN campaign, a tournament so disappointing it made national headlines for all the wrong reasons. The tournament that was a catalogue of misery. Chipolopolo started with a 2-0 defeat against Democratic Republic of Congo followed by a 2-1 loss to Angola before going down 3-1 against Morocco.

The team ended the group stage with a 1-0 defeat against co hosts Kenya to be sent packing back home.

Attention again shifted to the next assignment, the World Cup qualifiers. Already mathematically out, Zambia’s final run of 2026 World Cup qualifiers became an exercise in damage control. But even then, relief was minimal. The team suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Morocco who had already qualified, then managed a 1-0 win away to Tanzania but were back to default setting with a 1-0 loss to Niger at home.

When the tally was complete, the numbers told a brutal story with the Africa Cup around the corner, 12 matches, 10 losses, one win, one draw in all competitions this year.

And so, after months of pressure, Avram Grant and the newly-elected FAZ agreed to part ways. His assistant, Moses Sichone, stepped up, charged with guiding Chipolopolo into the Africa Cup of Nations in December. A poisoned chalice if ever there was one.

But FAZ was hit by another big blow immediately after sacking Grant when the Ministry of Sports withdrew its funding to the national team demanding for answers due to poor performance.

While the men’s camp wrestled with a crisis of confidence, the women’s national team delivered a more hopeful performance.

Under newly appointed Swiss coach Nora Hauptle, the Copper Queens entered the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) with renewed belief. For the first time, superstar duo Barbara Banda and Racheal Kundananji were both available.

The Copper Queens did not disappoint in the group stages as they had a thrilling 2-2 draw with the hosts Morocco before beating Senegal 2-1 and later saw off DRC 3-2 to sail through to the quarter finals.

But Nigeria had other plans. Driven by vengeance from their 2022 third-place playoff defeat, the Super Falcons unleashed a ruthless 5-0 quarterfinal demolition that ended Zambia’s run.

Still, the Copper Queens closed the year on a brighter note, winning a three-nation tournament with a 1-1 draw against Malawi and a 3-1 win over Zimbabwe. With only four losses out of fifteen matches, they remained one of Zambia’s few sporting lights in a dim year.

Swimming

In a year dominated by football headlines and Olympic build ups, it was the splash of water —that quietly carried one of Zambia’s most inspiring sporting stories.

The nation’s swimmers transformed 2025 into a landmark season. From historic qualifications to record-breaking runs, Zambia’s swimming programme stood taller than ever before.

In May, 17-year-old Mia Phiri stood shoulder to shoulder with sporting giants Barbara Banda and Leah Hygate as one of three finalists for the Zambia Sports woman of the Year Award.

It was a rare recognition for a swimmer in a football-loving nation, but the accolades didn’t stop there.

Weeks later, Mia became the first Zambian swimmer ever to qualify for the World Aquatics Championships, hitting the required standard in the 50m backstroke, one of the sport’s most challenging sprint events.

If Mia set the tone, the national team amplified it in Angola in June during the 50th Anniversary Celebrations Swimming Championships, Zambia fielded a small but explosive squad that amassed seven medals.

The notable medals came from Sianne Wilson who won gold in the 50m breaststroke and Johanna Coates who bagged a silver in the 100m freestyle.

Meanwhile, across East Africa, young warrior Melissa Muyambango took on nine races at the Kenya Aquatics Championships, coming home with silver in the 100m backstroke and bronze in the 200m breaststroke.

In July, Zambia travelled to the Region Five Championships with a balanced squad, five boys, five girls and returned with a catalogue of medals and one undeniable star, Zach Moyo.

Zach struck gold in the 50m breaststroke, becoming the first Zambian to win a gold in the Region Five Games in this category.

If any event summed up Zambian swimming, it was the Africa Aquatics Zone IV Championships in Eswatini.

Team captain Jade Phiri was everywhere, winning gold in the 50m butterfly, 200m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

By the end of the meet, she was named Victrix Ludorum (Best 17 & Over Girl), the championship’s most prestigious female award.

Urshlla Gomes stole hearts and headlines with multiple masters golds, proving that experience is a weapon while federation president Guy Phiri also won masters gold.

Tennis

Zambian tennis has over the years been known for stagnation and heartbreaks but in 2025, the sport finally rediscovered its heartbeat. It was a year that delivered institutional redemption and the most transformative seasons in recent memory.

For over a decade, Zambian tennis existed in a frustrating limbo, shut out of international events, sidelined from global developmental programmes and constrained by an outstanding US$9,000 affiliation fee debt to the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

After years of negotiation and an intense period of administrative clean-up, ZTA finally paid its debt allowing the ITF to reinstate the association as a full member thereby restoring privileges lost for 12 long years.

The decision followed a fact-finding mission by ITF Development Officer Tapiwa Masunga, whose meetings with ZTA president Lighton Musonda, the National Sports Council of Zambia, the National Olympic Committee of Zambia, and various facility tours painted a picture of a federation ready to rebuild.

Her visit formed Zambia’s renewed ambition, a return to international competition, a revival of junior development and the bold proposal to build a National Tennis Centre in Lusaka.

Zambia also signed onto the ITF World Tennis Number, putting its players on the global rating grid from grassroots to elite events.

Fifteen-year-olds Kombe Mabo Jr and Mukangwa Siame broke into the ITF Junior World Rankings after encouraging performances in J3 tournaments.

For the first time since around 2009 or 2010, Zambia will compete in the Davis Cup.

The return to the Davis Cup is more than symbolic, it is proof that the country is back on the international map.

Boxing

Zambia’s boxing history is decorated with legends such as Lottie Mwale, Joseph Chingangu, Kennedy Kanyanta and the trailblazing successes of Esther Phiri and Catherine Phiri.

But 2025 belonged to a new icon, David “Sniper” Mwale who in June, achieved what no Zambian boxer before him had, winning a World Boxing Council (WBC) title.

Facing Ghana’s Michael Decardi-Nelson in a bantamweight showdown, Mwale showcased calculated aggression, immaculate technique, and the composure of a champion. He dismantled the Ghanaian with a performance that grew in authority each round, ultimately claiming the belt via unanimous points decision.

Athletics

In athletics Zambian athletes left a mark on the region Five Games in Namibia winning nine medals in total.

Niddy Mingilishi led the way with a gold medal in the women’s 200m race, followed by two more gold medals by Nayayo sisamu in javelin and Bernard Kalale in long jump.

Zambia won silver from 4X100, 4X400 women and 4X400 relay teams while bronze medals came from Frank Nkhata in the 1500m race and 100m race by Sitali Kakene.

Zambia’s flag carrier Muzala Samukonga had a tough year with his best achievement a semi-final berth at the Tokyo World Championships.

But the year saw a number of local events being held, especially the marathons across the country, showing the growth of long distance running in the country.

Golf

Zambian golf also enjoyed some successes especially on the international scene with standout performer Michael Chuma stealing the headlines.

One of the year’s defining highlights came in Botswana, where the national team delivered a spirited performance to secure silver at the 2025 Africa Golf Confederation (AGC) Region 5 Championship.

Competing against traditional regional powerhouses like South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia, Zambia stood tall to finish second behind South Africa.

If 2025 had a headline act, it was undoubtedly Michael Chuma. The Nkana Golf Club young golfer enjoyed an extraordinary year, becoming one of the continent’s top amateur performers.

The year also introduced fans to Zambia’s emerging generation where Aamiya Mpolele (10 years old) earned second prize at the SADC Delta Botswana Junior Golf Championship in Gaborone and James Mapalo Anscombe was widely recognized as Zambia’s newest rising star, with steady progress across junior circuits earning him national attention.

Zambia’s golf calendar was packed throughout 2025, with tournaments designed to foster development, promote unity, and strengthen corporate partnerships.

In a heartfelt moment for the country, the government launched the Kenneth Kaunda Day Golf Tournament, an annual event aimed at honoring Zambia’s founding president. The tournament successfully blended sport, heritage, and national unity, making it one of the year’s most symbolic additions to the calendar.

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