ZESCO UNITED TO PLAY IN CONFED AS CAF CONFIRMS 2022 SLOTS

Following communication from CAF, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wishes to inform its membership and stakeholders that Zambia will only field two teams in the 2022-2023 season. CAF has formally notified its membership on the revised continental slots that will see 12 countries eligible to field four teams comprising two in the CAF Champions League and the same number in the Confederation Cup.

Arising from this communique, Zambia will be represented by Red Arrows in the Champions League while Zesco United will be the flag carriers in the Confederation Cup.

FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala says the development was sad but also a call for Zambian clubs to step up their performances in CAF competitions.

“We wish to inform our football family of the communique from CAF that the inter-club competitions representation has been revised after a four-year cycle. Zambia will have two clubs in CAF competitions for the 2023 season,” Kashala says.

“The development is regrettable but also a wake-up call to our clubs to work extra hard to reclaim their respectable status on the continent.”

He adds: “We just have to pull our socks up and ensure that our representatives do better when they win the right to fly our national flag on the continent.”

“Kindly find below the list of the 12 highest ranked national associations, according to the CAF’s ranking, who are allowed to engage 2 teams in the TotalEnergies CAF Champions league 2022/23 and the TotalEnergies CAF Confederation Cup 2022/23,” reads part of the CAF Circular.

The 12 countries that will field four teams are: Algeria, Angola, Congo DR, Egypt, Guinea, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Tunisia.

CAF has set September 9-11 for the preliminary round matches of the 2022 season while return legs will be on September 16-18. The second round will run from October 7-9 for the first legs with return fixtures on October 14-16.

For and on behalf of:

FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA

Sydney Mungala

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER