Copper Princesses Step Up World Cup Preps

The Zambia Under-17 Women’s National Team has stepped up preparations in Casablanca ahead of Friday’s international friendly against China as the Copper Princesses continue their build-up to the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup.

Coach Carol Kanyemba and her technical bench have been keeping the momentum going since the team arrived in Casablanca on Monday, with the players training at the Academie Des Electriciens De Football.

FAZ organised a 10-day international camp ahead of the tournament to help the team acclimatise to the conditions in Morocco and gain valuable match preparation through warm-up games.

Kanyemba said the international friendly matches would be important in assessing the team’s readiness ahead of the World Cup.

“I can say we are 60 percent (ready) because most of it has to come from the high-profile friendlies that we will play; that’s when we will be able to know how ready we are.”

The Copper Princesses will face China in a warm-up match on Friday as the technical bench continues to fine-tune the squad. Kanyemba said games against strong opposition would give the players a feel of the intensity they can expect at the World Cup.

Zambia has been drawn in Group D alongside Japan, France and Venezuela, with the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup set to take place in Morocco from 17 October to 7 November 2026.

The FAZ Media Team shares selected images from the Copper Princesses’ training camp in Casablanca.