CAFCC draw: ZESCO United can beat Kaizer Chiefs – Musiya

ZESCO United Football Club (ZUFC) Chairperson Patricia Musiya has sent a stark reminder to all doubters of the Zambian team’s pedigree after being drawn alongside giants including Kaizer Chiefs.

She said this in a reaction to her Ndola-based outfit’s draw in the 2025-2026 CAF Confederation Cup, in Group C alongside AmaKhosi, Zamalek and Al Masry both from Egypt.

The draw took place in South Africa on Monday following the conclusion of the preliminary rounds of the continental cup.

In a statement, the chairperson of the nine-time MTN Super League champions said they cannot be underrated as underdogs in what appears a group of death comprising Chiefs.

“We are happy to ascend to the group stage of the TotalEnergies 2025/26 CAF Confederation Cup and we are proud to represent Zambia at what we expect to be a competitive and exciting phase of this prestigious tournament,” Musiya said.

How did ZESCO fare against Kaizer Chiefs before?

The ZESCO boss further highlighted their past exploits in the Confederation Cup, including beating the South African opponents in 2018.

“The club is not underrating any of its opponents, some of whom we recognise have won the cup before. Of the three opponents, ZUFC has met Kaizer Chiefs during the 2018/19 season of the same competition and went on to eliminate Chiefs in the pre-group stage that season, winning 3-0 at home, and beating them 2-1 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg. Therefore, we will leverage our experience in this tournament to fully prepare for success,” the statement reads.

Team Ya Ziko secured their place in the group stage after seeing off Football Canon105 de Libreville from Gabon in the first preliminary round via an aggregate score of 5-2 over two legs, before eliminating Jwaneng Galaxy from Botswana 5-4 on aggregate

Chiefs, on the other hand, saw off Congolese side AS Simba via post-match penalties to reach the group stage.Ironically, ZESCO’s delegation visited the South African giants’ base in June in a benchmarking exercise, signaling a potential strategic partnership.