Faz Names Sichone as Chipolopolo Head
The Football Association of Zambia has appointed Moses Sichone as head coach of the Chipolopolo senior national team. The appointment was confirmed in a press statement issued on 5 November 2025 from Football House in Lusaka. Sichone had been serving as assistant coach under former manager Avram Grant and now takes full charge of the national team technical bench.
According to the release, Sichone will be supported by a team made up of former international teammates drawn from various eras of Chipolopolo history. Andrew Sinkala, who was based in Germany, comes in as one of the assistants. Sinkala previously featured for Bundesliga clubs during his playing career including Bayern Munich, FC Koln, Augsburg, and SC Paderborn, and transitioned into coaching after retirement. Sinkala holds a UEFA B Plus licence and is currently coaching at FC Hennef, after previously coaching at TFC Cologne.
Perry Mutapa joins the same technical setup. Mutapa is currently in charge of Green Eagles Football Club and was a member of the famous 1999 Under-20 team alongside Sinkala. That group impressed at the 1999 FIFA Under-20 World Cup under coach Patrick Phiri and went on to graduate into the senior squad after those performances. Mutapa will now serve as part of the senior national team coaching staff.
2012 Africa Cup winning goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is included as goalkeeper coach. Mweene is currently serving as goalkeeper coach at Mamelodi Sundowns. His inclusion adds a member of the 2012 AFCON winning group to the new team. FAZ stated that the quality of experience from the playing careers of the technical members was among the reasons for selection.
Former Chipolopolo defender and veteran Joseph Musonda has been designated as fitness coach. Noel Mwandila has been named as strikers coach. The structure is meant to manage the national team’s immediate competitive assignments including the coming November FIFA window.
FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande stated that the technical lineup will be responsible for the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations assignment. He said the decision was influenced by the time sensitive nature of coaching selection during this period. He explained that the Association wanted to install confidence in local resources who already carry global exposure from their playing careers. He added that the technicians have been monitored as they transitioned into coaching and that the Association believed they carry enough applied experience.
The newly appointed technical bench will manage Zambia in two friendly matches in November. Zambia will face South Africa on 15 November during the FIFA window and will also play Burundi on 18 November. Those matches will be the first official assignments for the new coaching contingent. These fixtures will form part of preparatory work for the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Football Association of Zambia indicated that the appointments mark the beginning of a new chapter for the national team. The release confirmed that this group will direct the Chipolopolo project going forward. The statement can be attributed to the office of the Head of Media and Communications at the Association.
Full Statement Below
Press Statement
(For Immediate Release)
Football Association of Zambia
Football House, Lusaka
5th November 2025
FAZ UNVEILS NEW CHIPOLOPOLO TECHNICAL BENCH
The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced Chipolopolo great and current assistant coach Moses Sichone as new Chipolopolo gaffer.
Sichone will be assisted by his contemporaries from his playing days Andrew Sinkala, who until now was based in Germany and former international Perry Mutapa who is in charge of Green Eagles Football Club.
2012 Africa Cup of Nations winning goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene will be the goalkeeper coach while Noel Mwandila becomes the strikers’ coach.
Chipolopolo legend Joseph Musonda will be the fitness coach.
FAZ General Secretary Machacha Shepande says the ensemble will be in charge of the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations assignment.
“The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is excited to announce the new chapter of the Chipolopolo which sees the youthful and dynamic quartet of Moses Sichone, Andrew Sinkala, Perry Mutapa and Kennedy Mweene appointed in charge of the Chipolopolo project,” says Shepande.
“FAZ considered the unique circumstances of scouting for a coach in the short term and opted to install confidence in local resources with great international exposure. The combined assemblage of our new technical bench has enough experience from their playing days in top leagues. Collectively their transitioning to coaching after their playing days has been admirable and has been under our watch over the years.”
Sichone was a longtime assistant coach to Avram Grant while Sinkala who once starred for Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, FC Koln, Augsburg and SC Paderbon among others transitioned to coaching in Germany after hanging his boots.
Sinkala and Mutapa famously played together at the 1999 Under-20 FIFA World Cup under coach Patrick Phiri and were elevated to the senior squad after their exploits at the tournament.
Sinkala holds a UEFA B Plus Licence, which is a new level in the coaching certification and his current coaching job is at FC Hennef and previously coached at TFC Cologne.
Mweene is currently goalkeeper coach at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Their first assignment will be the November 15 and 18 FIFA window international friendlies which will see Zambia play South Africa and Burundi respectively.
For and on behalf of:
FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA
Nkweto Tembwe
HEAD OF MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONSs
Good decision
Moses can be a good coach, he won cosafa. what district him is a Wristwatch.
From bird’s eye, the selection of coaches isn’t TRIBAL, most of those appointed can’t speak Tonga. So just focus on each individual coach and players.
And then you hear someone complaining just after two games that we needed more experience or an expatriate coach. I still think we are short of material especially in the mid-field both defensive and attacking. I miss the Isaac Chansa’s and Renford Kalaba type of players.
My worry is most of the people thinking that once you have sorted out the coaching issues, football is sorted out., Football is a lot of issues including administration, technical staff, Training, Referees, stadia, soccer fans and many others. For example, I have never seen a soccer fans strategy from either FAZ, the soccer fans association or Talking Football radio program. What is the fundraising strategy of the Chipolopolo soccer fans and how much do they have in the bank now. Can they send a team to Morrocco to go and support Chipolopolo, or it is the usual cry to the government when there is a match.
Tackling the coach issue alone is not tackling Zambias declining footballing fortunes. There is more beyond a coach in football. Meanwhile let us concentrate tax payers money to ending loadshedding. Let’s even stop these constitutions issues for now. Let us tackle the elephant in the room first
I want to put up a real Chipolopolo soccer Fans association with proper fund raising ventures and strategy as a way of helping revive Zambian football. If there is a game out of the country, there will be no crying to government to charter a plane, we will be doing it on our own. All districts, be on standby
I want to put up a real Chipolopolo soccer Fans association with proper fund raising ventures and strategy as a way of helping revive Zambian football