Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant has laid down the marker, setting his sights on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and returning to the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) set for Morocco next year.
Zambia has resumed preparations for the World Cup qualifiers but Grant also has his eyes on the AfCON qualifiers where Zambia is on bye to the next stage of qualifiers.
With limited opportunities on the FIFA international calendar, Zambia is using the four-nation tournament set for Malawi to prepare for future competitive games.
The team that has since left for Lilongwe has a date against Zimbabwe in the semi-final of this international friendly tournament on Sunday and will face either Malawi or Kenya in the last game, depending on the results.
On the competitive front, Zambia will entertain Tanzania and Morocco in Group E of the World Cup qualifiers as they look to return on track after being derailed by Niger in the last game.
Group E is wide open, with four teams on three points, albeit Morocco have played a game less while Congo Brazzaville are tail-enders with no point. This makes the next two matches a must-win.
“Our target is qualification for the World Cup”- Grant
Even with the Malawi assignment on hand, Grant is already thinking about the World Cup qualifiers and the AfCON games.
“…our target is qualification for the World Cup and to be in Africa [AfCON] again…we want to win every game. We want to develop a winning mentality,” Grant said.
Meanwhile, 15 players have left for Malawi, while the final set will join from their respective bases.
“The Chipolopolo have left for Lilongwe, Malawi for the Four Nations tournament. A contingent comprising 15 players and officials left aboard a Malawi Airlines flight,” a post on the Football Association of Zambia website read in part.
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