Zambia: The 2024 edition of the Absa Cup will feature 21 teams competing for the title. The sports event’s popularity has seen a marked rise among sports stakeholders and competing teams.
The popularity boost happened after the Football Association of Zambia-FAZ and Absa approved a significant re-imaging of the competition format. As per the new format of the 2024 edition of the Absa Cup, the winner of the football tournament will walk away with K800,000.
According to the new format, the competing teams will include 10 provincial teams. Further, 7 MTN Super League outfits and four FAZ National Division 1 teams will be called up for the tournament.
The 10 provincial teams competing in the tournament will also play in the round of 16 before the quarter-finals. The teams are excited about the development in the sports sector as the tournament will help encourage more youth participation in such initiatives.
Defending champions of the Absa Cup, Forest Rangers will miss out on the expanded format after finishing outside the top seven in Week 17.
The announcement of the K5.5 million rich new tournament format was announced on Wednesday. The announcement was made during the draw and unveiling of the new Absa trophy.
Further, Absa Chief Financial Officer Venus Hampinda delivered a brief address at the event. He asked Zambian supporters to embrace the spirit of unity and excellence through the Absa Cup. The officials shared their delight at the project’s success.
Hampinda stated that K100,000 has increased the prize money to K800,000 from last year’s K700,000.
Meanwhile, the President of the Football Association of Zambia, Andrew Kamanga, thanked Absa Bank for weathering various economic storms over the years by retaining its support to the Zambian game for the last 17 years.
Kamanga said the inclusion of some lower division teams in this year’s edition has added flavour to the event.
Provincial playoffs are slated for 23rd March, with the final scheduled for May on the Copperbelt.