By Kalumiana Kalumiana
Zambia women’s national team coach Nora Hauptle has revealed that captain Barbra Banda will not play in the 4-nations due to injury and also disclosed that the team plan to hold a pre-2026 WAFCON camp in Algeria in July including playing friendlies against their hosts.
Banda was on the bench during Zambia’s 4-nations semifinal game against Kenya at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium Ndola which the hosts won 4-1 on post-match penalties following a 1-1 draw.
Hauptle said in her post-match interview at Levy Stadium on Saturday that Banda had arrived in camp with an injury she sustained in league action at her USA club Orlando Pride.
“(About) Barbara, no, it’s not a relegation to the bench. Basically, she had an injury against Bay FC. She had a little strain on the hamstring. So this week when she arrived we also assessed her. We did an MRI and got good treatment. It is not the moment where you risk now something with the top player,” Hauptle said.
Hauptle said Banda sustained the injury on May 30 in sixth-placed Orlando’s 3-1 home win over Zambia teammate Rachael Kundananji’s club, Bay FC, in a match in which she scored a brace.
Banda played the full 90 minutes, while Kundananji who was not on the scoresheet for 13th-placed Bay was substituted in the 73rd minute.
“She is in the championship in the US National Women’s Soccer League. It’s a high demand on her. We don’t want to make an error at this stage; you know it can cause a longer injury.
Like this, it’s something very short. But we needed to say it’s not worth risking Barbara on something. So today, she was assistant coach number three to me. That’s what we agreed on. But don’t worry about her. She will be fine. She should recover well in the next one or two weeks,” Hauptle said.
And Hauptle said Zambia is planning to hold the last phase of the pre-2026 WAFCON camp in Algeria in early July.
Morocco will host the 2026 WAFCON from July 26 to August 16.
“For the WFCON we are have qualified, so for me it’s important what we do in the next steps. It’s good that we have another game next Tuesday so that we can also give more player exposure. Then we enter into a local pre-camp for around three weeks. And we’ll have then a preparation hopefully in Algeria. We are at the moment negotiating that we have two games against Algeria. Also with another style of play, then, you know, Algeria plays with a bit more in possession,” she said.
Meanwhile, Zambia wrap up their 4-nation tournament tomorrow when they face Zimbabwe in the final at 18h00 at Levy Stadium after Kenya and Lesotho’s 3rd and 4th playoff match at 15h00 at the same venue.
Zimbabwe beat Lesotho 3-1 in Saturday’s lunchtime kickoff in the opening semifinal fixture of the 4-nations at Levy.
Zambia and Kenya are using the 4-nations as part of their preparations for next month’s WAFCON.
Zambia is in Group C at the 2026 WAFCON, where they will face Egypt, Malawi and defending champions Nigeria.
