Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Keith Mweemba has expressed optimism that administrators from Zambian Premier League (ZPL) clubs will implement knowledge gained during the recently concluded FIFA Club Professionalisation and Management Workshop in Ndola.
Over two days, ZPL administrators engaged in sessions covering modern football administration and management. The workshop was facilitated by FIFA Head of Development Programmes Solomon Mudege, Regional Office Lead David Fani, Member Association Development Manager Sanda Rasoamahenina, and FIFA Consultant Marcos Pelegrin, with support from FAZ and ZPL officials.
In a speech read on his behalf by FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande, Mweemba emphasized that clubs must now roll out the strategies learned. “The onus is now on every one of us that have undergone this training to actualize what we have learnt here to manage our clubs better,” he said.
Shepande added that the lessons were comprehensive and intensive, giving hope that club administrators are now better equipped to advance football development in Zambia. FAZ Vice-President Mutale Ng’andu echoed this sentiment, thanking FIFA for investing in the workshop. “This is an investment; it should not go without being appreciated,” he said.
FIFA Project Manager for Member Associations in Africa, Salah Osman, also praised participants for their engagement and diligence. “We enjoyed hearing from you and thank those who shared their experiences. It reminded us why we are all involved in football,” he said. Osman noted that the cohort will continue with follow-up online sessions to reinforce the lessons learned.
FAZ’s leadership hopes the workshop will translate into more professional club management, stronger governance, and better performance in the Zambian football league system.