There are just 16 days left before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers begin, and some fans are wondering if Saudi Arabia-based forward Fashion Sakala, who fell out with Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant, will be called back to the national team.
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) in May this year, launched an investigation into allegations made by Sakala against Grant following his omission from the national team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Morocco and Tanzania.
After the two fell out following Zambia’s poor performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in January, Sakala accused Grant of promising never to give him a call-up to the national side.
The Al Fayha star also accused Grant of favoring players affiliated with his agent, Nir Karin.
Grant denied these allegations and labelled them as lies, adding that the former Rangers FC star was just frustrated after being dropped from the team.
“It’s a false accusation; it is completely lies,” an angry Grant told Journalists at Football House in May.
Grant responds to questions about his relationship with Sakala
FAZ have not yet revealed their findings since announcing that they had began an internal investigation into the matter.
However, when asked about the possibility of recalling the Al Fayha man, who was the fourth highest scorer in the Saudi Pro League with 17 goals, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo (33, Al-Nassr), Aleksandar Mitrovic (26, Al-Hilal), and Abderrazak Hamdallah (19, Al-Ittihad), Grant said he has no personal issues with any player.
“I am not speaking about the national team because [I haven’t picked the team yet]. But as I told you, I don’t have a personal issue with anybody,” responded Grant at the Woodlands stadium in Lusaka on Wednesday. “My commitment is to the team, and I will say it again: [if a player has] talent, passion, and ready to sacrifice for the national team with values; the door is open for everybody, but I haven’t named the team, so I’m not going to talk about it.”
Meanwhile, Grant also confirmed that the team will be without Leicester City striker Patson Daka, who underwent ankle surgery last week. At the same time, Frankie Musonda will be sidelined for at least six weeks due to an injury he did not name.
“Patson Daka, I spoke to the doctor of the team, it will take two to three and Frankie [Musonda], four to six weeks. We will miss them but this what’s happened, we can not control it. I only hope they recover as quick as they can but now I will concentrate on the players that are not injured.”
