With eleven days remaining before the start of the 2025 AfCON, Moses Sichone has named his 28-man team for 2025 AfCON tournament in Morocco.
Zambia is in Group A with Morocco, Mali, and Comoros.
On his first attempt with the Chipolopolo, Jack Kalichi Lahne, has convinced the technical bench for inclusion.
Lahne, based in Austria scored on his Chipolopolo debut during the last FIFA window. Also included is Joseph Liteta of Cagliari in Italy.
Other new entrants include Eliya Mandanji (Zanaco), Matthews Banda, Given Kalusa (FC MUZA), Matthews Banda (Nkana), and Pascal Phiri (Zesco United).
In the goalkeeping department, Kennedy Mweene has recommended Willard Mwanza and Owen Tembo (both of Power Dynamos) and David Simukonda (Zanaco).
Zambia to play friendlies in Spain.
The technical bench has included into the squad two U-17 players, fresh from the FIFA World Cup, Jonathan Kalimina and Abel Nyirongo.
Also in line for the final 23 main squad selection is FC MUZA’s Kelvin Mwanza completing the list for the Spain Camp.
The team will now move to Murcia, Spain, for the final phase of preparations. The camping will run from December 11 to 17, 2025.
In Spain, the Chipolopolo are expected to play high-profile friendly matches.
Because the new FIFA mandatory release date for foreign-based players is December 15, Sichone will only have a full squad after that date.
FIFA has directed all national teams preparing for AFCON to follow this regulation.
On December 3, 2025, FIFA confirmed that clubs must release players for AFCON 2025, which runs from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, no later than December 15.
This rule, similar to the one used at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has shortened the release period by seven days.
READ ALSO: Katongo explains why Zambia are not favorites to win the 2025 AfCON title.
