Former Zambian midfielder Thomas Nyirenda has expressed concern that the timing of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers could disadvantage Zambia due to the transition of the local league calendar.

The 2027 AFCON qualifiers are expected to begin around the same period the Zambian Super League enters its transitional season ahead of the planned switch to a March-November calendar next year.

Nyirenda warned that the timing could affect the fitness levels of locally based players.

“Looking at the change of our season calendar, I think the first game will come when we are coming from the off season or at the start of the season (transitional), which is a disadvantage for us unlike starting in August,” he said.

The former midfielder has since urged the technical bench to announce the squad much earlier to allow players enough time to prepare mentally and physically before camp.

“It will be better to announce the squad earlier so that individually, players can prepare adequately before they regroup as opposed to announcing the squad a few weeks before the game,” he added.

Nyirenda, who represented Zambia at the 2010 AFCON in Angola, also predicted a fair draw for the Chipolopolo in the 2027 qualifiers. The tournament will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, with the draw scheduled for Tuesday.

“I think the draw will be fair as always, and it has come at the right time,” he stated.

“Looking at the teams this time around, many of them have improved a lot, so Zambians should expect tough matches even in a fair group.”

Nyirenda further noted that the early draw gives Zambia enough time to study opponents and prepare adequately for the campaign.

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