The national team performed poorly, and the Zambian government suspended financial support: it must be responsible to taxpayers

October 16th: Due to poor performance, the Zambian government has suspended financial support to the men’s adult national team affiliated with the Zambia Football Association.

In a statement jointly issued by the Zambian Ministry of Youth, Sports and the Arts and the National Sports Commission, the government was deeply concerned about the team's poor performance despite receiving large financial investments. The department pointed out that they have used huge amounts of public funds to pay for the national team's accommodation, air tickets, winning bonuses and part of the coach's salary.

In view of the current financial difficulties facing the country, the authorities stated that they must provide a reasonable explanation for the reasons for continuing to fund the team. The department has asked the Zambian Football Association to submit a detailed report on the measures taken to improve the team's performance, specific methods to ensure accountability and transparency, and a clear assessment of the use of public resources.

The statement emphasized that government funding for the national team must be matched by responsibility and substantial progress on the field. The government reiterated that it remains committed to promoting the development of football, but made it clear that responsibility to taxpayers is always crucial.