COPPER Queens captain Barbra Banda has urged Zambians not to write off the national women’s football team, insisting that the spirit and identity of the Copper Queens remains intact despite recent doubts from fans.
Speaking during a CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nation (WAfCON) Stars Spotlight Webinar, Banda defended her team saying the players are focused and determined to deliver strong performances when the tournament gets underway on July 5 and called for public support.
This comes at a time when confidence in the squad has been shaken by inconsistent performances in the build-up to the tournament.
However, Banda, who remains the face of the team both locally and internationally, says Zambians must remember the resilience and determination that earned the team a historic third-place finish at the last WAfCON and qualification to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
“To our fans back home in Zambia, [they] should not look down on us. We are still the Copper Queens and we will make you proud,” Banda said during a CAF WAfCON Stars Spotlight Webinar.
According to her, the Copper Queens are not just going to Morocco to add numbers, but to compete with one heart as the team’s shared ambitions are stronger than ever.
Having recently been named both CAF and BBC African Women’s Footballer of the Year and the first African to be included in the FIFPRO Women’s World 11, the captain is confident the Copper Queens have what it takes to go far, but insists they cannot do it without support from the Zambian people.
With Zambia just days away from kicking off their 2024 reschedule WAfCON campaign against hosts Morocco on July 5, Zambia will compete in Group A alongside Morocco, Senegal and DR Congo, with only two teams guaranteed passage to the knockout stage.
By George Musonda
Kalemba June 25, 2025
