Zambia's Under-17 Women's National Team, known as the Copper Princesses, is set to face Ethiopia in the first leg of the final round of 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup qualifying. The match takes place at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, with kick-off scheduled for 15h00 on Saturday. A win or a favourable result would move Zambia closer to a third consecutive FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup appearance.
The Copper Princesses are part of a broader Zambian football programme that has invested in the women's game, producing consistent qualification results. The senior Copper Queens have become a rising continental force, reaching the Women's Africa Cup of Nations and the Olympic Games. Zambia has previously qualified age-grade sides for FIFA Under-17 and Under-20 Women's World Cups.
The two-legged CAF qualifier format means that Saturday's Ndola fixture is only half the contest, with the return leg in Ethiopia deciding the tie on aggregate. The Football Association of Zambia has framed the campaign around continuity, aiming for the Copper Princesses to secure a third consecutive World Cup appearance. This approach signals structural investment in the age-grade women's programme.
The match at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, a principal football ground in Ndola, reflects the Zambian football administration's effort to spread marquee matches across the country's football-heavy provinces. Ethiopia's Under-17 Women's National Team has travelled to Ndola, underlining the East African federation's commitment to the tie. Away form is crucial in two-legged CAF qualifiers.
A third consecutive FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup appearance would be a meaningful marker for Zambian football, which has worked to convert individual talent into sustained international qualification. Age-grade success functions as a pipeline, feeding into Under-20 squads and senior international football. The senior Copper Queens continue preparations for the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
The broader continental picture also matters, as African representation at senior FIFA World Cup level has been a live talking point. Youth-level qualification campaigns, such as the Copper Princesses' tie against Ethiopia, are part of the long-run effort to keep African teams competitive at the top of global age-grade football.
Key factors to watch include Saturday's scoreline, squad management, and the wider qualifying picture across CAF's final round. The date and venue of the return leg in Ethiopia will determine the aggregate winner and whether the Copper Princesses' bid for a third straight World Cup appearance stays alive.
Key points
- Zambia's Copper Princesses host Ethiopia in the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup final round qualifiers.
- A win or favourable result would move Zambia closer to a third consecutive FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup appearance.
- The two-legged qualifier format means the return leg in Ethiopia will decide the tie on aggregate.
