FAZ Women's Super Division explained

FAZ Women Super Division
Country:Zambia
Founded:1999
Teams:18
Champions:Green Buffaloes Ladies FC
Season:2022-2023
Most Successful Club:Green Buffaloes Ladies FC (6 titles)
Levels:1-3
Confed Cup:COSAFA / CAF W-Champions League
Current:2023

The FAZ Women Super Division is the highest league of women's football in Zambia. It was established in the beginning of 2021 and is run by FAZ.[1] The inaugural season featured 12 teams from four provinces in Zambia.[2] The super division replaced the 4 regional women's leagues (Copperbelt, Lusaka, North-west and Central[3]) as the highest level of women's football in Zambia, while the regional leagues dropped to the second tier. In November 2022 a new nationalwide division one was created,[4] serving as the second tier and dropping the regional leagues to the third tier.

The teams for the first season of the super division were selected from an application process where FAZ granted spots in the league for fully structured teams that were expected to be able to complete the full season. The creation of the league came from a wider promotion of the women's game in a promising era of Zambian women's football with the Copper Queens qualified for the Tokyo Olympic games. It was also a response to the newly announced CAF Women's Champions League, where the best teams of the continent are competing and started later in 2021.

Past champions

The Women's Football League in Zambia dates back to the beginning of the 1980s when women competed in Copperbelt province. The national league began in January 1984, according to RSSSF, with teams "mostly from Copperbelt towns: Luanshya, Mufulira (Mufulira Flying Queens), Kitwe (Kitwe Flying Angels), Ndola, Kalulushi, Chililabombwe (Konkola Blades) and Chingola."

The Football Association of Zambia became involved in the national league held from 1999 for a few seasons, and the Lusaka Zambia Women Football Championship Cup was held from 2005 to 2007.

In the beginning of the 90s Copperbelt football died out while it instead was introduced in Lusaka at the end of the decade and Kabwata EDUSPORT United was an early dominant of the game.[5] Since then, women have competed in various competitions, predominantly in the Copperbelt and Lusaka, with the following champions:[6]

YearCopperbeltLusakaLusaka CupNational
2002Lass Connect FC
2005Arrows
2006National Assembly Women
2007National Assembly Women
2011Green Buffaloes Women
2013Green Buffaloes Women
2014Moba Queens
2015Zesco Ndola GirlsGreen Buffaloes Women
2016Indeni RosesGreen Buffaloes WomenGreen Buffaloes Women
2017Zesco Ndola GirlsGreen Buffaloes Women
2018Indeni RosesGreen Buffaloes WomenGreen Buffaloes Women
2019Indeni RosesGreen Buffaloes WomenGreen Buffaloes Women
2019−20Abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic

Super Division champions

YearNationalNotes
2020–21Green Buffaloes WomenFirst ever Super Division edition[13]
2021–22Green Buffaloes WomenWon over Yasa Queens on penalties in play-off Final[14]
2022–23Green Buffaloes WomenWon after taking the lead from Red Arrows on the final day[15]
2023–24Green Buffaloes Women

Clubs in the 2022-2023 season

The third edition of the national league was won by Green Buffaloes and were contested by the following 18 clubs:

ClubProvinceFinal position current seasonPosition previous season 2021/22First seasonFirst season of current spellNumber of seasons in Super DivisionBest Finishing position
Bauleni United Sports AcademyLusaka155 Zone B2020/212020/2136 (2020/21)
Green Buffaloes WomenLusaka11 Zone A2020/212020/2131 (2022/23)
Green EaglesSouthern117 Zone B2021/222021/22211 (2022/23)
Indeni RosesCopperbelt62 Zone A2020/212020/2133 (2021/22)
Elite Ladies - Lusaka Dynamos WomenLusaka44 Zone B2020/212020/2134 (2022/23)
Mufulira Wanderers WomenCopperbelt187 Zone A2020/212020/21312 (2020/21)
National Assembly WomenLusaka96 Zone A2020/212020/2139 (2022/23)
Nkwazi QueensLusaka125 Zone A2020/212020/2138 (2020/21)
Play it Forward QueensSouthern16Southern Province 1st2022/232022/23116 (2022/23)
Police Doves QueensNorth-Western84 Zone A2020/212020/2138 (2022/23)
Prison Leopards QueensCentral178 Zone B2021/222021/22215 (2021/22)
Queens AcademyCentral136 Zone B2020/212020/21310 (2020/21)
Red Arrows WomenLusaka22 Zone B2020/212020/2132 (2022/23)
Trident QueensNorth-Western10North-West Province 1st2022/232022/23110 (2022/23)
YASA QueensLusaka71 Zone B2020/212020/2132 (2021/22)
Zanaco LadiesLusaka5Lusaka Province 1st2022/232022/2315 (2022/23)
Zesco Ndola GirlsCopperbelt33 Zone A2020/212020/2133 (2022/23)
ZISD QueensLusaka143 Zone B2020/212020/2136 (2021/22)

Lower tiers of the football piramid

National League

The national division one League was introduced in the 2022–2023 season, and was played in two zones with 8 teams each. The league serves as the second tier of the Zambian football piramid for women.

Champions of the first season was Luyando in the South Zone and Police Blue Eagles in the North Zone.

Regional Leagues

Serving as the third tier of Zambian female football is leagues divided by provinces. Earlier the top tier was organised like this but with the introduction of the Super division and National division one League, the regional football is feeding the nationalwide tiers.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FORMATION OF A NATIONAL WOMEN'S LEAGUE AND PROMINENT WOMEN COMMITTEE TO RUN FUNDRAISING FOR COPPER QUEENS UNDERWAY – ANDREW KAMANGA . ZamFoot . 19 February 2021.
  2. Web site: FAZ CONFIRM LUSAKA DYNAMOS WOMEN'S SUPER DIVISION STATUS . ZamFoot . 19 February 2021.
  3. Web site: Zambia FA to introduce eight teams women top flight league . Zone Foot . 19 February 2021.
  4. Web site: 2022-11-10 . FAZ WOMEN'S NATIONAL DIVISION ONE LEAGUE TAKES OFF . 2023-06-05 . Melo Media.
  5. Web site: Zambia (Women) 1982-2001 . . 20 February 2021.
  6. Web site: Zambia - List of Women Champions . . 20 February 2021.
  7. Web site: ZAMBIA: Green Buffaloes dismiss Indeni Roses to clinch 2016 league title . JWsports1 . 20 February 2021.
  8. Web site: Buffaloes win inaugural Zambia Women's Charity Shield . CAFOnline . 20 February 2021.
  9. Web site: Zambia (Women) 2018 . . 20 February 2021.
  10. Web site: FAZ to extend women's Super League to Central, NW provinces . NewsDiggers . 17 February 2019 . 21 February 2021.
  11. Web site: Green Buffaloes crowned Zambia Women's League champions . CAFOnline . 20 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Zambia (Women) 2019 . . 20 February 2021.
  13. Web site: 2021-11-18 . BUFFALOES WIN LEAGUE WITH THREE GAMES TO SPARE . 2023-06-05 . Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Facebook.
  14. Web site: 2022-10-29 . Match Facts - Green Buffaloes vs Determine Girls . 2023-06-05 . CAF Online.
  15. Web site: 2023-05-07 . WSL:Green Buffaloes again…. COSAFA Champions defend league crown . 2023-06-05 . Zamfoot.