WAFCON: Zambia captain Barbra Banda calls for adequate preparations

Zambia national team captain Barbra Banda says Zambia’s Morocco 2026 Women Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) draw is tough but with good preparations, the team can meet their target at the tournament.

Speaking to the FAZ Media after the draw for the Morocco 2026 WAFCON where Zambia has been placed in Group C alongside defending champions Nigeria, Egypt and Malawi, the Orlando Pride star said good preparations will be crucial to the team doing well at the tournament.

Zambia have to do better in Morocco

“I believe in when you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. So, in our group, I feel it is a tough group. Playing against the champions, which is Nigeria, we played them the last WAFCON, I think this time around, we have to do better when we meet again,” said Banda.

“Not forgetting Malawi, our neighbour, a very good team, very good quality players and Egypt also. So, it is a group of death, but I think to me, with the team as Copper Queens, I think this time around, we have to prepare adequately so that we go through to the next round, which I feel I have a good feeling.”

Banda says her engagement with coach Nora Häuptle speak of positivity ahead of the WAFCON assignment.

“Every time I communicate with my coach, I think we are always moving at the same pace and I think we are heading somewhere but it is a tough group for us,” added Banda.

The 2024 CAF Women Player of the Year and BBC Women Footballer of the Year added the team has set sights on back-to-back FIFA World Cup qualification.

“It is very important for Zambia to make it again to the World Cup because I think for the previous one, we qualified (Australia/New Zealand) although we didn’t do our best,” explained Banda.

“These are the games that are going to make us qualify to the World Cup. So definitely, we have to qualify to the World Cup meaning we have to do our best.”

Zambia will kick off campaign against Egypt

Banda says preparations for the WAFCON will have to be top notch to give the team a good chance of doing better than the last edition where they were ejected at the quarterfinal stage.

“Preparations have to start now because we don’t have time. We have been on off-season…So I think for us what can help us is to have proper preparations, good friendly games for us to go out there and, you know, compete with those teams in our group,” Banda concluded.

Zambia is in Group C and will open its campaign on March 18 against Egypt before facing Nigeria three days later. The final group game will be against Malawi on March 24.

Top two teams will qualify to the quarterfinals with the semifinal finalists at the WAFCON qualifying for the Brazil 2027 FIFA World Cup.