Zambia: Copper Queens players Rachael Kundanaji and Barbara Banda have been selected for the final shortlist of the 2023 Women’s Player of the Year. The sportswomen will be honoured and appreciated at the inaugural Council of Southern Africa Football Associations-COSAFA Awards.
The women footballers have been playing well in their matches and making their nation proud with their performance. The Copper Queens have also recently qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024. The team is all set to represent their home and nation on the international platform.
Meanwhile, the nominees for the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations-COSAFA Awards include football players from across South Africa. The awards aim to encourage sportspersons to improve their games.
Further, the award also highlights and acknowledges the hardwork that the sportspersons put into their training. Another nominee for the 14 Nation COSAFA Award is a Malawian Striker, formerly of Inter Milan in Italy and now campaigning in France with Paris St German.
The officials of the awards ceremony shared that they are delighted to honour and highlight the talent and achievements of the footballers. The people of Zambia have shared their best wishes to the Copper Queen players for bringing the awards back home.
Kundananji recently became the most expensive female player with a move to Bay FC in the USA from Madrid FC in Spain.
Banda, fresh from helping Zambia qualify to the July 2024 Paris Olympics, followed suit and became the second most expensive female player with her move from China’s Shanghai Shengli to Orlando Pride, also in the USA.
The winner will be announced at a Gala Awards Ceremony in Durban, South Africa, on 19th April 2024, with a panel of judges from across the region having assessed the players’ achievements for Club and Country in the period January 1 to December 31, 2023.