Zambia’s Under-20 Men’s National Team has begun preparations for the TotalEnergies CAF U20 Africa Cup of Nations COSAFA Qualifier Mauritius 2026, with coach Perry Mutapa summoning 32 players for an initial assessment camp. The camp will give the technical bench an opportunity to evaluate a wide group of young talents before the team travels to Mauritius for the regional tournament. Mutapa has also opened the door for players based outside Zambia, with Netherlands-based Fanwell Tembo and Spain-based Tumelo Mununga among the promising prospects included in the provisional squad. The coach has also selected players from Zambia’s domestic football structures as he looks to assemble a competitive team capable of challenging for qualification. The COSAFA tournament is scheduled to run from 18 to 27 September, making the assessment camp an important stage in Zambia’s preparations.
One of the notable inclusions is Fanwell Tembo, who is based in the Netherlands and is on the books of Alphence Racing Club. His inclusion gives Mutapa an opportunity to assess a player developing in a European football environment and determine how he could contribute to the national team setup. Tumelo Mununga, who plays for CD Leganes in Spain, has also received a call-up and will be given the chance to demonstrate his abilities alongside players from Zambia’s local football system. Their inclusion reflects the technical bench’s willingness to consider young Zambians playing abroad when selecting players for national youth teams. The presence of overseas-based players could also add different experiences and tactical perspectives to the squad as Zambia prepares for a demanding regional competition.
South Africa-based Sipho Muntanga is another player attracting attention after earning a place in the provisional squad. The striker stars for Randburg FC and will be assessed alongside several forwards from Zambia’s domestic football structures. Former Under-17 star Lineker Mbesuma of Roan United has also been included, giving the technical bench another player with previous experience in Zambia’s youth national team setup. These selections show that Mutapa is not relying on one particular pathway when identifying players for the Under-20 team. Instead, the coach is examining talent from local academies, domestic clubs and foreign-based environments as he searches for the strongest possible group.
The assessment camp will also provide an opportunity for the technical bench to identify players who can complement members of the Under-17 squad that recently competed at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Some of the top-performing players from that group are expected to join the Under-20 setup during the next camp. This approach could give Zambia access to a wider pool of players with recent international experience and exposure to high-level competition. Bringing some of those Under-17 players into the Under-20 structure could also help create continuity between Zambia’s youth national teams. The technical bench will therefore have more options to consider as preparations move closer to the COSAFA qualifier.
Mutapa has also selected several promising players from Zambia’s local football pool as part of the first assessment group. The provisional squad includes representatives from clubs and academies such as Zesco United, Red Arrows, Power Dynamos, Zanaco, Trident, Nkwazi and Mufulira Wanderers. Youth development institutions including Relentless Kings Football Academy, Billy Sports Academy, Modern Skills Soccer Academy, Mphande Youth Soccer Academy, Gomes Academy and Lusaka Youth Soccer Academy are also represented. This broad selection allows the coaching staff to examine players with different football backgrounds and levels of competitive experience. It also gives young players from the local system an opportunity to make a case for inclusion in the final squad.
The goalkeeping department features Stacial Kangwa of Chirundu United, Hendrix Kanyungu of Makeni All Stars and Friday Kampamba of Zesco United. The three goalkeepers will compete for the opportunity to establish themselves as part of the Under-20 national team setup. In defence, Davies Chiwisa and Mathews Makukula from Relentless Kings Football Academy are joined by Titus Bwalya of Indeni Football Club and Samson Ngoma of Mines United. Joseph Sikandi and Warren Kalenje from Billy Sports Academy are also part of the defensive group, alongside Maurice Masuku of Red Arrows. The competition for places in these areas will be important because defensive consistency will be central to Zambia’s hopes of progressing from the COSAFA tournament.
The midfield department contains the largest group of players in the provisional squad and includes talent from a range of clubs and academies. Philimon Chilimina of Chirundu United, Elvis Mulenga of Red Arrows, Clement Banda of Power Dynamos, Bunonge Bunonge of Lumwana and Moffat Ng’ambi of Trident are among those selected. The group also includes Charles Walawala of Modern Skills Soccer Academy, Kayula Chinunda of Mphande Youth Soccer Academy, Paul Mwape of Mutondo Stars and Nuto Banda of Morning Stars. Wise Kabanji of Zanaco, Evaristo Himoonga of Chirundu United, Paul Halwindi of Ndola United, Marvelous Chishimba of Gomes Academy and Allan Mumba of Zesco United have also been summoned. Foreign-based midfielder Tumelo Mununga of CD Leganes, along with Dennis Mwendabai of Lusaka Youth Soccer Academy, Lineker Mbesuma of Roan United and the other midfield options, will give Mutapa several combinations to assess before the squad is reduced.
The attacking department features five players, with Sipho Muntanga of Randburg FC in South Africa and Fanwell Tembo of Alphence Racing Club in the Netherlands providing the foreign-based options. Gibson Mooya of Power Dynamos, Billy Daka of Nkwazi and John Foloko of Mufulira Wanderers complete the provisional striker group. The forwards will be expected to compete strongly during the assessment camp as the coaching staff evaluates their finishing, movement, decision-making and ability to operate within the team’s tactical approach. Competition for attacking positions is likely to be particularly important because Zambia will need consistent goals if the team is to challenge for the top positions in Mauritius. The addition of players from the Under-17 FIFA World Cup pool could make the competition for places even stronger during the next phase of preparations.
The provisional squad is not yet the final team that will represent Zambia at the COSAFA qualifier. The current camp has specifically been designed as an assessment opportunity, allowing Mutapa and his technical bench to evaluate the players before making further selections. Some of the players from the Under-17 FIFA World Cup pool are expected to join during the next camp, which means the squad could change significantly as preparations progress. The coaching staff will need to assess individual quality while also identifying players who can work effectively within a cohesive tactical system. Finding the right balance between promising individuals and a team structure will be crucial as the September tournament approaches.
Zambia has been placed in Group C alongside Malawi, Botswana and Comoros for the COSAFA Under-20 tournament. The group presents Zambia with a clear challenge, as every match will provide an opportunity to collect points and move closer to the knockout stages and qualification objectives. The top two teams at the tournament will qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, which will provide a pathway towards the FIFA World Cup. That qualification opportunity adds significant importance to the COSAFA competition because success in Mauritius could open the door to another major international tournament for Zambia’s young players. The players selected for the final squad will therefore carry substantial expectations as they attempt to progress through the regional competition.
The 32-player assessment camp marks an important starting point for Perry Mutapa and his technical team as they build Zambia’s Under-20 side for the Mauritius 2026 COSAFA qualifier. The inclusion of foreign-based prospects, experienced youth internationals and players emerging from Zambia’s local clubs and academies gives the coaching staff a broad talent pool to evaluate. The expected arrival of standout players from the Under-17 FIFA World Cup group will further strengthen the selection process and increase competition for places. With Zambia drawn against Malawi, Botswana and Comoros, the technical bench has limited time to settle on the right combination before the tournament begins on 18 September. The assessment camp will therefore play an important role in shaping a competitive Under-20 team capable of pursuing COSAFA success and securing a place at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.