The Football Association of Zambia has formally engaged the Confederation of African Football over concerns surrounding Zambia’s second continental slot and the qualification of the ABSA Cup winner for the CAF Confederation Cup.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, FAZ confirmed that it has written to CAF seeking a waiver on the requirement that the winner of a national cup competition automatically represents the Member Association in the Confederation Cup. The association said the request is intended to allow time to align the ABSA Cup competition with CAF’s standards.
Acting FAZ General Secretary Iva Lengwe said the association took the step after listening to concerns raised by local clubs regarding the timing and structure of the decision.
“We have listened to our clubs and we agree that the timing and format present genuine challenges. As FAZ, we have responsibly engaged CAF to explain our situation and to ask that our context be taken into account,” Lengwe said.
Lengwe acknowledged that FAZ is fully aware of CAF regulations but maintained that the current transitional phase requires dialogue and flexibility.
He explained that in its present format, the ABSA Cup does not yet reflect the characteristics of a fully open national cup competition as envisioned under CAF guidelines. According to Lengwe, participation in the competition remains limited at certain levels, with the structure not consistently engaging the entire football pyramid across all provinces and divisions.
“In its current form, the ABSA competition does not achieve the breadth of participation or national inclusivity that would ordinarily define a fully open national cup. Participation is limited in scope at various tiers, and the structure does not consistently engage the entire football pyramid,” he said.
FAZ expressed optimism that CAF will grant Zambia temporary leeway as the association works to regularise the competition’s status during the transitional window. Lengwe stressed that the move is not intended to undermine CAF rules, but rather to ensure that the club representing Zambia in continental competition does so on the basis of merit, competitiveness and fairness.
He added that FAZ will keep its membership informed once CAF responds to the request.
The development follows a communication last month by the Zambian Premier League informing clubs that the winner of the 2026 ABSA Cup would qualify for the CAF Confederation Cup.
The decision sparked opposition from several clubs, among them Zesco United, Mufulira Wanderers and Power Dynamos. The clubs argued that such a significant change should have been communicated at the beginning of the season to allow adequate planning and competitive clarity.
With FAZ now formally engaging CAF, attention turns to the continental body’s response, which will determine how Zambia’s second representative in the Confederation Cup is selected for the upcoming campaign.
