The 2026 ABSA Cup draw was conducted on Monday morning, with ABSA Bank announcing an increase in prize money to K7 million. The winners will pocket K1.1 million, while runners-up will take home K450,000.
A lot will be at stake in this year’s edition; apart from the prize money, the winners will also qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.
The competition includes ten provincial league leaders, four National Division One teams, and the top seven from the MTN Super League as of week 17.
North-western Provincial League leaders Solwezi Mushitala Stars FC are motivated by the prize money and the CAF Confederation Cup slot. They will face Teta FC of Northern Province in the preliminary round and, should they advance to the round of 16, they will meet either Zesco United or FC Muza.
“Football is played on the ground; we just have to work very, very hard so that we beat our opponents in the first round,” Moses Lungu, the team’s head coach, told BolaNews after the draw in Lusaka.
When asked about his team’s chances of winning the ABSA Cup and qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup, Lungu said: “It’s possible we can do it. Of course, we are very confident we can win it.”
The preliminary rounds will be played between March 21–22, with Mushitala taking on Teta at Railway Stadium in Kabwe.
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