For the 2027 Africa Cup of nations qualifiers, Zambia is in Group I alongside Algeria, Togo and Burundi. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Reacting to the draws, Nchuminya Mweetwa has backed the Chipolopolo to secure qualification for a third consecutive tournament.
Mweetwa, a former Chipolopolo Boys striker, said it is a fair group for Zambia.
He reflected on Zambia’s previous encounters with Togo, recalling the difficult atmosphere in Lomé during a heavy defeat he witnessed as part of the squad.
“I remember when we played Togo in Lomé. I was there with the team even though I did not play. We lost but it was a great experience because that is the kind of environment players should enjoy,” he said.
Turning to the current Chipolopolo squad, Mweetwa acknowledged that Zambia remains in a rebuilding phase but said the team has enough quality to challenge strongly.
“We are still rebuilding, yes, and some of our current stars areaging,, but they still have fuel in their legs. We are good enough to do well,” he said.
Mweetwa expressed confidence that Zambia no longer fears North African opposition, citing past victories over Algeria under former coach Wedson Nyirenda.
“We have beaten Algeria home and away before under Wedson Nyirenda. I remember how the boys played their lungs out, with Brian Mwila scoring, and the kind of football we played was exceptional,” he said.
“Zambia is not short of talent. It is just a matter of management. If we prepare well and plan properly, we can cause an upset,” he said.
Mweetwa further noted that Zambia’s back-to-back qualifications for recent AFCON tournaments should inspire confidence heading into the campaign.
“We have qualified for AFCON consecutively now, so I do not think we can fail to qualify for 2027. The group is fair. There is nothing like a group of death anymore in football,” he said.
“Failing to plan is failing on its own, so we need to plan very well,” he concluded.
