Zambian striker Abel Salim Nyirongo has set his eyes on qualifying for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar from November 5 to 27 ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations U-17 (AFCON-U17).

Morocco will host the AFCON-U17 from March 30 to April 19, 2025, with quarter-finalists qualifying for the World Cup.

Speaking during training in Lusaka on Tuesday, Nyirongo noted that the excitement of winning COSAFA ended in South Africa and that the team aims to shine in the AFCON U-17.

Nyirongo noted that the team’s primary goal is to win the tournament while also achieving World Cup qualification.

“We are preparing very hard for us to play the Africa Cup of Nations; the excitement [of winning the 2024 COSAFA Championship] stayed in South Africa, though we come out victorious, but the AFCON will be a different thing and a different chapter,” Nyirongo said.

“First three games very important“- Nyirongo

The Athletico Lusaka youngster also revealed that they are targeting to win the opening three matches to increase their chances of winning the tournament.

“I know we are putting the COSAFA celebration aside because our target is the World Cup. We have to fight more so that we qualify to the World Cup. And the plan is, we have to win the Africa Cup. We have to qualify, and we promise to the country that we’ll qualify this time,” he stated.

“And we are pushing to qualify for the World Cup, that is our target. I think for us as a team, the first 3 games in the group stage are very important to us. So we’re going to capitalize on them so that we can move on to the next stage.”

Zambia has never qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, having only advanced to the group stage of the 2015 and 2023 AFCON-U17.

Ian Bakala’s side will be seeking to make history this year, especially after winning the 2024 COSAFA Championship.

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