DECENTRALIZATION KEY TO FOOTBALL GROWTH, SAYS FAZ PRESIDENT
Lusaka… Tuesday May 6, 2025 – Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Andrew Kamanga has highlighted the decentralization of football administration as one of the major achievements of his tenure, saying the move has brought the game closer to communities across the country.
Mr. Kamanga stated that under his leadership, decentralization had been embedded into the FAZ constitution in 2019 following approval by the FAZ Council.
He emphasized that this constitutional change was the foundational step toward the implementation phase, which saw the establishment of physical FAZ offices in all 10 provinces.
According to Mr. Kamanga, these offices have since become fully functional and are playing a central role in coordinating football development at the regional level.
He noted that initial support to the provinces included the provision of office equipment and operational assistance to ensure a smooth rollout.
He acknowledged, however, that reaching full operational capacity in all provinces within four years was a challenge, but said significant progress had been made.
Mr. Kamanga disclosed that technical officers and scouts had already been appointed in several provinces through the office of the technical director.
These officers, he said, are contributing significantly to the grassroots and youth football programs.
Addressing recent claims by some prospective candidates about injecting large sums of money into provincial offices, Mr. Kamanga described such promises as “pie-in-the-sky stories.”
He reiterated that FAZ’s strategy was based on realism, with a focus on encouraging provinces to pursue self-sustenance.
He explained that the association was urging regional offices to harness local economic opportunities and seek sponsorships and partnerships to support their activities.
While FAZ would continue providing short-term support, Mr. Kamanga made it clear that the long-term objective was to eliminate dependency and promote financial independence across the regions.
The FAZ President concluded his remarks by reaffirming his commitment to stability and sustained development in Zambian football, citing decentralization as a cornerstone of that vision.