Zambia Under-20 Women’s head coach Florence Mwila says mental preparation will be key as her side gears up for the first leg of the 2026 FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifier against Uganda this weekend.

Zambia will begin the two-legged tie away on Saturday, February 7, in Kampala before hosting the return leg a week later in Ndola, with Mwila acknowledging the pressure that comes with starting on the road.

“We know that starting away can be a bit challenging because they have the 12th player at their home ground, but we just need to psych our players psychologically so that they are prepared to play against that 12th player. Our strategy is to keep them focused, knowing our aim and our target,” Mwila said.

Expectations are high- Mwila

She added that the pressure of expectation to qualify is balanced by motivation within the squad.

“There’s pressure because everyone is looking at the team to qualify for the World Cup, but there’s also motivation in it. We just need to know how to manage that,” she said.

“We are encouraging the players that they are the ones who are going to make history because they would be the first to qualify at this age group. Some of them have played at the Under-17 World Cup and could now be part of the Under-20 World Cup. That is very motivational for both the technical staff and the players.”

Mwila said the squad is progressing well, with good coordination developing from a blend of Under-17 graduates and players returning from the senior team.

Meanwhile, the winner over the two legs between Zambia and Uganda will advance to the fourth and final round of the qualifiers, where they will face either Ghana or South Africa.

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