Zambia head coach Nora Hauptle has criticised the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) tie-breaker regulations after the Copper Queens were eliminated from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations despite finishing the group stage with an impressive record.
The Copper Queens finished level on points with Nigeria’s Super Falcons and Malawi, with all three teams ending the group phase on six points.
However, CAF’s tie-breaker rules determined the final standings, with Nigeria advancing alongside Malawi.
Under CAF’s regulations, the ranking of teams level on points was decided by goals scored in matches involving the tied teams. Nigeria finished ahead after scoring four goals in those encounters, while Malawi recorded three. Zambia’s two goals in the same mini-table left them eliminated.
The decision left Hauptle frustrated, as she argued that Zambia’s overall tournament statistics deserved greater recognition.
“We scored the most goals in this group, and we conceded the least goals. Sometimes I’m not sure if we do the right things with this kind of regulations because it feels completely weird that we are out,” Hauptle said, according to Lusaka Times.
The elimination was a disappointing outcome for a side considered among the tournament favourites, especially with captain Barbra Banda and forward Racheal Kundananji leading one of Africa’s most feared attacking units.