Zambian Stars Emerge As Strong Nominees At Cosafa Awards

Southern African football powerhouse Zambia dominate the list of nominations at the inaugural COSAFA Awards.

The award winners will be unveiled at a gala dinner on 9 May 2024, as the event pays homage to the best performers, on and off the pitch, for 2023. African Football takes a look at Zambias eight nominees at the COSAFA Awards Esther Banda The Green Buffaloes defender has been nominated for the COSAFA Womens Most Promising Player of the Year (aged 20 or under) having helped Zambia clinch the silver medal at the COSAFA Womens Championship The 19-year-old, who was part of Zambias squad at the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup, is certainly on an upward trajectory and also helped Green Buffaloes to the semi-finals of the COSAFA Womens Champions League competition. Miguel Chaiwa The 19-year-old midfielder is up for the COSAFA Mens Most Promising Player of the Year (aged 20 or under) having played a role in helping Young Boys win the Swiss Super League title.

The teenager, who also featured in the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League, was also part of the Zambia squad that qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations but did not play for the senior national team last year.

Gift Mphande The Hapoel Rishon LeZion defenders good form in the Isralie Premier League earned him a call-up to the senior Zambia national team for their World Cup qualifiers in November 2023.

Mphande, who has also been nominated for the COSAFA Mens Most Promising Player of the Year (aged 20 or under), caught the eye as a member of the Zambia side at the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in early 2023.

Lawrence Mulenga The Power Dynamos star is up for the COSAFA Mens Goalkeeper of the Year having helped Power Dynamos to their first league title in Zambia in 12 years.

Mulenga, who conceded 19 goals in 34 games through the Zambian Super League campaign, also played a prominent role for Zambia in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification, which included a thumping 3-0 win over Ivory Coast in which he kept a clean sheet.

Bruce Mwape The experienced tactician has been nominated for the COSAFA Male Coach of the Year award having guided Zambia at their first-ever Womens World Cup.

Mwape has also led them to qualification for the next Womens Africa Cup of Nations and the final round of qualifiers for the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.

Barbra Banda

The Zambia captain has been nominated for the COSAFA Womens Player of the Year accolade having recently moved to Orlando Pride in the USA, a reward for excellent form for club and country.

Banda scored two goals in a famous win for Zambia over Germany prior to the 2023 Womens World Cup, the biggest victory in their history. She also scored as Zambia beat Costa Rica 3-1 to record a first-ever World Cup finals win.

Racheal Kundananji The Zambian star recently became the most expensive female player in history when she moved from Madrid FC to Bay FC in the USA for $800,000.

That was on the back of 28 goals for Madrid FC in 2023 and a further eight for Zambia, including in their win over Costa Rica at the World Cup and Kundananjis exploits have earned her a COSAFA Womens Player of the Year nomination.

Lameck Banda The Italy-based attacker became the first ever Zambian to feature in a Serie A match and he has been Influential for Lecc

Banda, who is up for the COSAFA Mens Player of the Year accolade, helped his country to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and he is growing in stature at his club where he became more influential as 2023 went on.