US-born striker Samiah Phiri has received an official call-up to Zimbabwe’s provisional squad for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic qualifiers.
Phiri was previously called up to the Copper Queens squad in January and joined the team’s local camp in Lusaka but failed to obtain a Zambian passport after it was discovered that her father is Zimbabwean and she could not provide documentation proving a Zambian connection.
Her case was subsequently closed at the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) after it was concluded that she had no Zambian origin, as there were no available witnesses to verify her lineage.
After making her professional move to France in February 2025, following a standout college career with the Pittsburgh Panthers Women’s Soccer team, where she made 21 appearances in 24 matches and scored 20 goals across three seasons, Phiri told BolaNews in June that she was willing to play for Zambia.
“I asked my father why I shared the same name as the Zambian girls, and he explained my roots. Since then, I’ve felt a strong connection to Zambia… I have followed the players that are playing in the NWSL, like Barbra Banda and Rachel Kundananji, so I’m inspired to see them in the top league,” Phiri said.
However, information later emerged that Phiri’s father, Stephen Phiri, was born in Zimbabwe to a Zimbabwean mother. He told BolaNews that his father was a Zambian but had lost touch with most of his Zambian family, making it difficult to acquire a Zambian passport for the player.
“The situation is complicated. FAZ has been unable to help facilitate her passport because there are no witnesses to prove that she is Zambian,” a source within FAZ told BolaNews in March this year.
