Zambia Under-20 Women National Team defender Jesse Zulu has set her sights on emulating the FIFA World Cup appearances of the Under-17 squad and the senior Copper Queens. In an interview with the FAZ Media Team, Zulu emphasized that winning in Kampala will be critical for keeping their Poland 2026 World Cup dreams alive. The Green Buffaloes Women Football Club star is focused on a strong first-leg performance ahead of the return leg a week later in the third-round qualifier.
The 19-year-old has steadily progressed through the ranks, earning a yearlong scholarship in Spain in 2023 for her standout performances at the 2022 Region V Games in Malawi. “We are putting in maximum effort. When we go to Uganda, our aim is to win big in the first leg because they will have home advantage,” Zulu said. She stressed that her team wants to become the first Zambian squad to qualify for the Under-20 Women’s World Cup and put Zambia firmly on the global football map.
Zulu was part of a trio of Zambian talents who earned a one-year La Liga Talents scholarship in 2023, alongside Esther Musialela of Solwezi Queens Academy and Theresa Musatila of Zesco Ndola Girls. The three players had impressed scouts during the 2022 Region VI Games in Malawi and were key members of the Zambia Under-17 Women’s National Team that won silver. The scholarship allowed them to train and study at the ESC Centre and NBA in Villaviciosa de Odon, Madrid, providing international exposure and development.
Zambia will face Uganda in the first leg on February 7 in Kampala, before hosting the return leg in Ndola a week later. The winner over the two legs will advance to face either Ghana or South Africa in the final qualifying round, with a ticket to the Poland 2026 Under-20 FIFA World Cup at stake. Jesse Zulu and her teammates are determined to make history and extend Zambia’s growing reputation in women’s football.