Zambia Drops US-Based Players from Women’s Squad Due to Travel Restrictions
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has confirmed that four key players from the Copper Queens will not be part of the squad for the upcoming Yangchuan International Tournament in China due to additional travel measures introduced under the new Trump administration in the United States.
Zambian captain Barbra Banda, Racheal Kundananji, Prisca Chilufya, and Grace Chanda—all of whom play for clubs in the US—have been withdrawn from the national team as a result of complications surrounding travel to and from the country.
FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga announced the decision on Wednesday, stating that after evaluating the new travel measures, it was in the best interest of the players to skip this international window.
“I wish to confirm that the Orlando Pride trio of Barbra Banda, Grace Chanda, and Prisca Chilufya, as well as Racheal Kundananji of Bay FC, will not be available for the two international friendly matches in China,” Kamanga said.
He added that the Zambian mission in Washington, along with the players’ respective clubs, was consulted before reaching the decision.
“After working through the process instigated by recently introduced measures, it was decided that it is in the best interest of our players to skip this assignment. They will definitely be available for future matches as they were in the last window when we played Malawi,” Kamanga assured.
The Copper Queens will now proceed with a revised squad, with replacements already included to ensure competitiveness in China. Zambia is set to face Thailand on April 5, and a victory would see them play either China or Uzbekistan in the final on April 8.
Source: CNN International
