Chipolopolo Claim COSAFA Bronze As Zambia Steps Ups AFCON 2027 Qualifier Preparations

By Saviour Simulindi

Zambia’s Junior Chipolopolo Boys have settled for bronze at the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations/COSAFA Qualifier after recording a convincing 3-0 victory over Namibia in the third-place play-off at the ABB Stadium in Maputo, Mozambique. Defender Gift Mumbi opened the scoring before forward Sipho Muntanga netted twice to seal the win for coach Perry Mutapa’s side. The victory provided a strong response following their semi-final defeat to South Africa, allowing the young Chipolopolo to conclude their campaign on a positive note.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s Amajita successfully defended their COSAFA Under-20 crown after defeating hosts Mozambique 2-1 in the final. Both finalists secured qualification for the 2027 CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, while Zambia settled for third place. The Junior Chipolopolo’s bronze-medal finish offers valuable experience for the young players as they continue their development and look ahead to future international assignments.

Elsewhere, the senior Chipolopolo have stepped up preparations for their crucial 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Togo, with coach George Lwandamina putting the team through their paces during a training session at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. Zambia are scheduled to face Togo on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, with kick-off set for 18:00 hours at the same venue. The team will be looking to make home advantage count as they continue their campaign to secure a place at the continental showpiece.