STRATEGIC LINKS

By BENEDICT TEMBO

…as FAZ, Korean football gurus moot partnership

ZAMBIAN football could be on the verge of a new international partnership following a high-level meeting between the country’s envoy to South Korea, Andrew Banda, and Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) General Secretary Charles Chakatazya.

During a breakfast meeting in Lusaka yesterday, Banda revealed that he is working to establish ties between FAZ and the Korea Football Association (KFA), leveraging his diplomatic position to open doors for collaboration.

He emphasised that the initiative is not only about advancing Zambian football interests but also about honouring the legacy of his late father, former President Rupiah Banda, a lifelong football enthusiast and former FAZ vice chairman.

Banda, who has cultivated close ties with Hyundai Football Club in South Korea, noted the potential for Zambia to benefit from Korea’s advanced football systems, which have produced stars such as Park Ji-Sung and Son Heung-Min.

He urged FAZ to formally reach out to the KFA, saying the collaboration could help the country nurture the next generation of players in the mould of Patson Daka, Fashion Sakala, and Kalusha Bwalya.

Chakatazya welcomed the proposal, describing the talks as “fruitful” and expressing FAZ’s eagerness to broaden the collaboration beyond Eastern Province to benefit the entire football fraternity.

He noted Banda’s groundwork and said FAZ would take the necessary steps to pave the way for the partnership.

The potential alliance carries symbolic weight as well.

Korea was the stage for Zambia’s famous 4-0 victory over Italy at the 1988 Olympic Games, a match that remains etched in the country’s football history.

For Banda, the initiative is also personal, as his family has long been intertwined with the sport - his brother Nenani Banda ran the Chiparamba Academy, which produced several national team players in the early 2000s.

If realised, the collaboration could mark a new chapter in the country’s football development, blending diplomatic ties, family legacy and sporting ambition into a partnership with one of Asia’s football power houses.