Zambia and Leicester City striker Patson Daka is looking forward to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after helping Zambia secure a spot at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) next year in Ivory Coast.

Daka, who finished the AFCON qualifiers as the joint second-highest scorer with five goals in six games, believes his country can qualify for the World Cup. This follows a successful AFCON qualifier campaign in which they finished first, ahead of Ivory Coast. Comoros and Lesotho were also in Group H, from which Zamnbia earned four and six points, respectively.

The Chipolopolos’ last appearance at AFCON was in 2015 when they were knocked out of the group stage. This will be the 18th appearance at the finals for the 2012 AFCON champions, who made their debut in 1974.

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The 24-year-old believes that the AFCON qualifiers have set a standard for them ahead of the World Cup qualifiers. “We know how big of an event the World Cup is and how much we want to go there. We have missed out so many times….. And this is a great opportunity for all of us,” Daka told FAZ TV as quoted by Bola News,” adding: “We know that impossible is nothing; everything is possible. We have all the ability and quality to qualify for the World Cup and give everything like we did in the AFCON qualifiers.”

Zambia is drawn in Group E alongside Morocco, Congo, Tanzania, Niger, and Eritrea. They will open their campaign at home against Congo-Brazzaville on matchday one before going to Niger on matchday two on November 14 and 21 respectively.