The Copper Queens will face FIFA World Cup-bound Denmark in an international friendly match on 5 December 2026 in Esbjerg, Denmark, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced.
In a statement, FAZ General Secretary Charles Chakatazya said the fixture reflects the growing international interest in the Copper Queens.
“We are excited as FAZ that we continue to attract top-level invitations for international friendly matches, which shows great confidence and respect for the Copper Queens across the globe,” Chakatazya said.
He added that Denmark was seeking African opposition as part of its preparations for the World Cup, while the fixture would provide Zambia with an opportunity to keep the team active as the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic qualifiers get underway.
“Denmark is looking to experience African opposition as part of the preparations for the FIFA World Cup next year in Brazil. For us, this will help us keep our team engaged, especially with qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics in motion,” he said.
Chakatazya said the Copper Queens would now shift their focus towards the Olympic qualification campaign following their participation in the FIFA Series and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
“After the FIFA Series and WAFCON experience, the Copper Queens will enter Olympic qualifiers as the next big undertaking,” he said.
He described the Denmark friendly as part of FAZ’s plans to rebuild the national team following Zambia’s recent WAFCON campaign, which ended their hopes of qualifying for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“This is part of our plan to regenerate the Copper Queens after the recent slumps at the WAFCON, which extinguished our World Cup dream. The Denmark friendly is an opportunity to set our sights on new targets,” Chakatazya said.
Denmark head coach Jakob Michelsen also welcomed the fixture, saying the upcoming international camps would give his side an opportunity to test themselves against teams from different regions ahead of the World Cup.
“The two upcoming camps give us the chance to test ourselves against national teams from other parts of the world before the World Cup in Brazil kicks off,” Michelsen said.
He added: “We are therefore delighted that, following our trip to Canada in October, we can host Zambia in Esbjerg this December, where we hope to see plenty of red-and-white fans.”
The Copper Queens are currently preparing for their Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games first-round qualifier against Uganda, with the two-legged tie scheduled to take place between 5 and 13 October 2026.
The Denmark fixture will therefore provide Zambia with another high-level international test as the team begins preparations for the next phase of its international programme.
