Zambia’s Cooper Queens Begin Preparations For 2023 Women’s World Cup

Zambia women’s national team (Copper Queens) head coach, Bruce Mwape, has announced his 33-member local-based squad to begin preparations for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

This is according to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) on Tuesday.

The 2023 women’s World Cup will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand from 20 July – 20 August.

It will be the first Copper Queens camp of the year after ending 2022 on a high by playing two high-profile international friendly matches against Colombia in November.

The camp provides Mwape with an opportunity to have a look at the local ensemble of players while keeping an eye on foreign-based players that are actively involved in Europe as the Copper Queens look to be involved in the FIFA international window next month.

Zaragoza CFF striker Hellen Mubanga is the only foreign-based player in Mwape’s squad and will be making her return to the Copper Queens squad after being out for 15 months while recovering in Zambia from a knee injury.

Mubanga, who has not played for club and country since the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was ruled out for the rest of the 2021/22 season due to a torn meniscus in her right knee which required an operation in November 2021.

The residential camp will run from 22-28 January.

The Copper Queens claimed a bronze medal at the 2022 Women’s Cup of Nations in Morocco after beating the Super Falcons 1-0 in the third-place match.

They will be making their maiden appearance at this year’s women’s World Cup.

Other African representatives at the World Cup are WAFCON champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria.