Chisi Mbewe Calls 45 Local Players Ahead Of 2026 Egypt U23 Afcon Qualifiers

The Zambia Under-23 Men’s National Team will begin preparations for the 2027 AFCON U23 qualifiers, with coach Chisi Mbewe calling up 45 local players for an assessment camp. Players selected from the local camp will join foreign-based players to form the final squad. The squad, which enters residential camp tomorrow in Lusaka, includes players who featured in the recently concluded COSAFA U20 AFCON qualifiers, the Mukuru 4 Nations Tournament and last year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. The Junior Chipolopolo will enter the qualifiers at the second-round stage after being exempted from the first round. Zambia will face the winner between Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso, with the first and second legs scheduled for November 9 and 17. The tournament will also serve as the qualification route to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.