Uncertainty has surrounded the availability of Copper Queens coach Nora Häuptle as Zambia competes at the 2026 COSAFA Senior Women’s Championship in South Africa. Zambia on Tuesday travelled to South Africa minus Häuptle with FAZ confirming that the coach is in her home country. First Assistant Coach Charles Haalubono has taken charge of the team in an interim capacity.
“Nora is the head coach and she selected the team for this year’s regional tournament. She travelled back to her home base to attend an assignment and will join the team once she completes it,” FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande said. Shepande said Haalubono will lead the technical bench during the opening phase of the tournament until Häuptle links up with the team in South Africa.
This is not the first time Häuptle is missing Copper Queens assignment. Häuptle was absent two months ago when Zambia competed at the three nation tournament in Malawi after failing ill, according to FAZ. Meanwhile, the team held its first training session in South Africa at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium training pitch shortly after arriving in Polokwane.
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Zambia is preparing for their Group B opener against Botswana to be played at Seshego Stadium on Thursday, 19th February 2026 at 15h00. “This is very important for us because it is the tournament which is leading us to WAFCON; so it’s a big preparation stage for us,” said Haalubono. “All we are doing is telling our players to play our game so that we keep our philosophy, continue with it and improve on it so that we go and use it at WAFCON and produce the desired results.”
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