Zambia U-17 girls gear up for DR Congo encounter

The Zambia U-17 Women national team are preparing for the May 24, 2026, third round, first leg FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Democratic Republic of Congo to be played at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Coach Carol Kanyemba and her technical team are currently preparing the team in Lusaka before shifting base to Ndola in the final stages of the camp.

Zambia will host DRC on May 24 before travelling for the return leg five days later in Kinshasa.

Zambia working on conditioning, endurance

Speaking on the team’s preparations, Kanyemba said as quoted by Bola News: “We’ve been working on conditioning the girls, knowing that they come from different leagues and teams. So, we’ve been working on conditioning, endurance, strength and speed.

“This week we have started working on the tactical part and opted to have a training game with Red Arrows, which is a big and experienced team, to see how our girls respond after 10 days of training.”

Kanyemba added: “It is a disadvantage to us because we don’t have the current team footage. Had they played the first round, we would have been able to see the kind of players they have.

“We are going to work with what we have and be able to read the game as it starts, then use that to our advantage.”

Zambia is scheduled to host the DRC for the first leg of the third round on May 24, 2026, at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. The return leg is slated for five days later in Kinshasa.

Zambia squad has been actively preparing through international camps and friendlies, including recent match-ups against Rwanda in April 2026 as they aim to secure their spot on the global stage.