The Copper Queens without their head coach Nora Hauptle has left the country for Brazil to participate in the FIFA series tournament.
No explanation given by FAZ why Hauptle is not part of the technical bench.
Zambia will participate in the FIFA Series tournament and will compete against Canada, Brazil, and South Korea.
The tournament hosted by Brazil will run from 11th to 18th April 2026.
The competition is part of preparations for the upcoming WAFCON tournament, expected to take place later this year.
The locally assembled side left for Cuiabá, Brazil, on Monday, with the rest of the foreign-based players expected to join the camp in Brazil.
However, speaking to FAZ media before departure, coach Haalubono believes the competition will help test the team’s readiness.
“This is a very important assignment for us because we are using this tournament for our preparations for the WAFCON and World Cup Qualifier. I think it’s a good test for us and the players; it gives a very good platform for learning and to know where to improve as a team,” he said.
“We have an extra time for preparation. “This is a very good preparation for us because we are playing top teams in the world,” added the coach.
Meanwhile, (Bay FC) forward Racheal Kundananji, Eneless Phiri, Avell Chitundu (both Zesco United), and Xiomara Mapepa (Altaraji) have been excluded due to injuries, while Evarine Katongo has been excused due to the war situation in Israel.
