By Tapiwa Chawagarira
ZAMBIA was crowned champion of the 2026 IHF Nations Trophy Africa Zone VI after defeating Mozambique 26-19 in a convincing final played on Saturday.
The Zambian senior women’s handball team produced a composed display to secure the regional title on home soil, completing a memorable campaign with a victory over a determined Mozambican side.
The Copper Queens controlled the contest through their discipline, teamwork, and attacking efficiency, while their defensive organisation helped them maintain the advantage as the final progressed.
Charity Phiri, wearing jersey number five, was named Player of the Match after delivering a standout performance in Zambia’s title-clinching victory.
The triumph caps a tournament staged in Lusaka from September 15 to 19, with eight nations — Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini — taking part.
The competition marked the inaugural senior women’s edition of the IHF Nations Trophy in Africa’s Zone VI, forming part of a new international pathway designed to provide national teams with meaningful regional competition.
For Zambia, the victory also carries significance beyond the regional title. According to the International Handball Federation, winners of the respective African zone competitions earn a place at the CAHB African Women’s Championship, giving Zambia a route to the next level of continental competition.
Zambia entered the tournament as one of the established sides in the region, and their championship-winning performance underlined their ability to deliver when the stakes were high.
The final score told the story of a Zambian side that combined defensive discipline with attacking purpose to finish the tournament as Zone VI champion.
