FAZ President Keith Mweemba has urged Southern Province to harness its football potential and push for more teams in the country’s top leagues.
Speaking at the FAZ Southern Province AGM in Choma on Sunday, Mweemba said the region has the talent to compete at the highest level if it works in unity.
Mweemba said Southern Province is richly endowed with talent in both men’s and women’s football, considering the strong showing in the women’s national league.
He noted that the participation of four teams in the national league demonstrates the strength of football in Southern Province But he said more needs to be done on the men’s side, where representation in the top tiers remains limited.
“The Super League is competitive, yes but it is not beyond your reach. I challenge this province to work collectively towards increasing its presence to at least three or more teams in the top tier. This is an achievable goal with proper planning, investment and unity of purpose.” Said Mweemba.
He urged administrators and clubs to plan better and invest consistently if they are to break into the Super League and the National League. Mweemba said success would depend on unity of purpose and stronger structures at provincial level.
The FAZ president also commended the province for its partnership with Gwembe Town Council, which has supported the training of coaches.
“More than 200 people have been trained as coaches in a short period of time. This is a huge step forward,” he said.
And FAZ Southern Province chairperson Nicholas Moomba has urged administrators to prioritise grassroots development, saying that lower leagues must focus on nurturing young talent.
Moomba said the provincial structure remains vital in building a strong football foundation and promoting good governance in the game.
“We are gathered here not just to strengthen the foundation of football in our province. The lower divisions and zones must remain dedicated to talent identification and development, especially in the early age categories,” he said.
He also praised administrators for their efforts and encouraged them to take up training opportunities to improve management of the sport.
