Charles Bwale, the former head coach of Zambia’s women’s national team, has called for more funding for the sport, stating that long-term tactical and technical improvement is still essential to Zambia’s future success in international competitions.
Speaking to Bola News following Zambia U-17 women’s team’s back-to-back defeats to Paraguay (2-1) and Japan (2-0) at the ongoing FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, Bwale said patience and structured investment are vital if Zambia is to close the gap with the World’s top footballing nations.
“The U-17 Princesses are just fine, and the coach is doing well. They can win or lose—this is a developmental team—but winning is important,” Bwale said. “Unless Zambia becomes like Japan or other developed countries in terms of resources, then we will be at that level. For now, we can only keep trying and trust in God’s grace.”
Bwale, who made history as the first coach to guide Zambia’s women’s team to the Africa Women’s Championship, noted that Japan’s superior infrastructure and tactical maturity were clear factors in their 2–0 victory over Zambia on Wednesday.
He said the results should not discourage progress but rather serve as a reminder of the importance of building strong foundations through youth training programs, coaching education, and local league development.
“Our girls are talented, but they need consistent exposure, better facilities, and technical refinement. If we keep investing wisely, Zambia will not just participate but compete strongly at global stages,” he emphasized.
Zambia’s U17 side will face New Zealand on Saturday in their final Group F fixture, hoping to progress to the next stage as best losers as well as gain valuable experience from their World Cup campaign.
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