The Zambia Futsal National Team faces a demanding challenge at the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations after being drawn in Group A alongside three-time champions and tournament hosts Morocco. The draw places Zambia in a competitive group that also includes Libya and Algeria, giving the team four challenging fixtures to navigate during the continental tournament. The competition will bring together some of Africa’s strongest futsal nations as teams battle for continental honours and valuable international experience. For Zambia, the tournament represents another opportunity to build on its growing presence in African futsal and compete against some of the continent’s established teams. The 2026 Futsal AFCON will take place in Morocco from October 12 to 21, with Zambia aiming to make a strong impression in what will be its fourth appearance at the competition.
Morocco presents the biggest immediate challenge in Group A, having established itself as one of Africa’s leading futsal nations. The hosts have won the continental title three times and will enter the tournament with the advantage of playing in front of a home crowd. Morocco’s experience at the highest level of African futsal means Zambia will face a side that understands the demands of major tournaments and knows how to manage pressure. However, the group draw also gives Zambia an opportunity to test its progress against one of the continent’s strongest teams. Facing the tournament hosts could provide valuable experience for the Zambian players as they seek to compete at a higher level.
Zambia will also face Libya and Algeria in Group A, creating a balanced group with no easy matches. Both teams will be looking to progress from the group stage and will bring their own tactical approaches and strengths to the tournament. Zambia will need to prepare carefully for each opponent rather than focusing only on Morocco. The ability to collect points against Libya and Algeria could prove crucial if the group becomes tightly contested. Every match will therefore require concentration, discipline and effective execution from Andrea Cristoforetti’s team.
The 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON will be staged from October 12 to 21 in Morocco. The tournament continues the growth of futsal on the African continent, with an increasing number of nations investing in the development of the sport and their national teams. Major continental competitions provide players with opportunities to gain international experience while helping national associations assess their progress against stronger opposition. For Zambia, participation in the tournament will also provide another platform to develop its futsal programme. The team will be hoping to turn its preparation and tournament experience into improved results on the continental stage.
Zambia has already experienced facing Morocco at the Futsal AFCON, having been drawn in the same group as the hosts during the 2024 edition. That previous encounter gives the Zambian team some familiarity with the challenge presented by the Moroccan side. The experience could help the technical team understand what is required when facing one of Africa’s most established futsal nations. It also provides returning players with memories of the intensity and quality required at the continental level. Zambia will now have another opportunity to measure its development against Morocco while also preparing for two other demanding group opponents.
The tournament will be Zambia’s fourth appearance at the Futsal AFCON, making the upcoming competition an important milestone for the national team. Previous participation has given the country valuable exposure to the demands of elite African futsal. Reaching the competition consistently can also help strengthen the development pathway for players and create greater interest in the sport domestically. Zambia will now be hoping to use its accumulated experience to produce a stronger campaign in Morocco. Making the fourth appearance count will require the team to combine tournament experience with disciplined preparation and confidence.
Andrea Cristoforetti’s team has already shown encouraging signs during its recent preparations. Zambia hosted Tanzania last month for two consecutive friendly matches and recorded impressive victories in both encounters. The team won the first match 6-0 before securing another convincing 5-0 victory in the second game. The results provided Zambia with valuable competitive preparation and demonstrated its ability to create and convert scoring opportunities. Although friendly matches cannot replicate the pressure of a major continental tournament, the performances will give the players confidence as they prepare for the AFCON.
The back-to-back victories over Tanzania also provided the technical team with an opportunity to assess the squad before the continental competition. Friendly matches allow coaches to test tactical approaches, evaluate players and identify areas that require further improvement. Zambia’s ability to score 11 goals across the two matches will be encouraging, particularly as attacking efficiency can become important in a tournament where margins between teams are often small. At the same time, the coaching staff will understand that the level of opposition at the AFCON will be considerably higher. The challenge will be to carry the positive aspects of those performances into competitive matches against experienced African futsal sides.
Group B will feature Egypt, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania, creating another competitive pool in the tournament. Egypt is among the teams with significant experience in African futsal and will be expected to compete strongly in its group. Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania will also be seeking to make an impact and advance in the competition. The Group B matches will add to what promises to be a closely contested tournament as teams compete for progression and continental recognition. Zambia will be focused on its own Group A campaign but will also be monitoring developments elsewhere as the tournament progresses.
For Zambia, the immediate priority will be preparing for the tactical and physical demands of Group A. The team will need to approach every match with discipline because mistakes against experienced opponents can quickly change the outcome of a futsal game. Quick transitions, defensive organisation, ball control and finishing will all be important areas for Cristoforetti’s side. The players will also need to manage the pressure of playing in a major continental tournament while maintaining concentration across each match. Strong preparation between now and October could make an important difference to Zambia’s chances of progressing beyond the group stage.
The draw has given Zambia a challenging but valuable opportunity to demonstrate its progress on the African futsal stage. Sharing Group A with Morocco, Libya and Algeria means the team will face quality opposition from the opening stages of the tournament. Its previous AFCON experience, upcoming fourth appearance and recent wins over Tanzania provide a foundation on which the squad can build. However, the team will need to raise its performance level when the competition begins and approach every match with confidence, discipline and determination. As the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON approaches, Zambia will be aiming to turn its growing experience into a memorable campaign and establish itself more firmly among Africa’s leading futsal nations.