The sport of football in the country of Zambia is run by the Football Association of Zambia.
The association administers the national male and female teams, as well as the Premier League, and the Women Super Division.
The 1993 Zambia national football team air disaster is considered one of the most significant moments in Zambian football.
Leagues
Zambia Super League
The Zambian Premier League is the top division of football in Zambia.
It consists of 18 teams who fight it out for qualification into Africa’s prime club competitions – the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
The top 2 finishers are awarded CAF Champions League spots while 3rd and 4th secure the Confederation Cup slots.
The Zambia Super League, also known as MTN/FAZ Super Division due to sponsorship reasons, is the top division of the Football Association of Zambia.
It was created in 1962. The Top 4 of the league qualify for continental football, with the top 2 qualify for the group stage qualifiers for the CAF Champions League and the third and fourth positioned teams to qualify for the group stage qualifiers of the CAF Confederations Cup.
The league is ranked 7th among all the countries in Africa in the CAF 5-year ranking.
The league is owned by the Football Association of Zambia with broadcasting rights belonging to Supersport, who televise 126 matches, and the winners of the league receiving a copper trophy with their names engraved on the trophy.
Finishing as one of the bottom 4 teams results in relegation to the second tier of Zambian football.
Zambia National Division One
The second tier of Zambian football consists of 18 teams as well.
The top 4 teams get promoted to the first division – the Zambian Super League whereas the bottom 4 teams get relegated.
The Zambian National Division One is the second-highest football division for men in Zambia and was introduced for the 2019/20 season with 18 teams.
The league is administered by Zambia Premier League and is because of sponsorship reasons called Eden University National Division One League, as Eden University and FAZ signed a five year’s agreement prior to the inaugural season.
The league operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Zambia Super League and Zambian Division One and is played over 34 games.
Provincial Division One
This is the 3rd major football tier of Zambian football.
Teams are split into provinces and they face-off for the 4 spots available in the 2nd division.
Cups
ABSA Cup
The ABSA Cup is a domestic football club competition held in Zambia. It features teams for the top two divisions in Zambian football.
The ABSA Cup is an association football cup competition held for men’s domestic football teams in Zambia. It was founded in 2007 and is overseen by the Football Association of Zambia.
Participants are decided halfway through the current season and are picked from the two highest divisions in Zambia.
Since the inaugural season of National Division One in 2019/20, two teams are picked from the National Division One while 6 teams are picked from the Super League to enter the tournament.
In 2019, it became the ABSA Cup.
Zambian Charity Shield
Officially known as the Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield is a match between the champions of the Zambian Super League and the winners of the ABSA Cup.
The Zambian Charity Shield officially called Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu Charity Shield since 2003 is a season opener match between the champions of the previous Super League season and the holders of the ABSA Cup.
If the Super League champions also happen to win the ABSA Cup then the league runners-up would face the champions for the trophy. This shield has been played since 1967.