ZaFCA Urges Zambian Women Coaches to Seize FIFA Policy Shift

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - OCTOBER 20: Carol Kanyemba, Head Coach of Zambia, sings the national anthem prior to the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Dominican Republic 2024 Group D match between Zambia and Poland at Felix Sanchez Stadium on October 20, 2024 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. (Photo by Buda Mendes - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

The Zambia Football Coaches Association (ZaFCA) has urged female coaches to take advantage of FIFA’s new policy direction, which requires women to head teams in FIFA-recognised tournaments.

Recently, FIFA passed a new rule requiring all women’s teams to have either a female head coach or assistant coach at tournaments.

In an interview with Bolanews, ZaFCA general secretary Lameck Banda welcomed the move and described it as a platform for women coaches to thrive in a male-dominated industry.

“To the women coaches, this is an opportunity for them to be head coaches or assistant coaches of their teams, so they just need to keep on pushing,” Banda said.

Banda said there is a need for a lot of capacity-building initiatives to be set in motion so that coaches gain the maximum exposure.

Zambia has been leading the way in giving female coaches a platform, especially at the junior team level.

Florence Mwila and Carol Kanyemba are currently attached to the under – 20 and 17 level, respectively.

Following the departure of Nora Hauptle, it remains to be seen if the head coach position will be held by a female coach or if FAZ will appoint interim coach Charlese Halubono alongside female assistants.