Zambia landed Argentina friendly through long-standing connections, says Kalusha Bwalya

Kalusha Bwalya, Chairman of Zambia’s National Teams Technical Committee, has revealed how Zambia managed to secure the international friendly game against world champions, Argentina.

“It came as a surprise. Sometimes in these moments, the world is in today, Argentina was scheduled to play against Spain in Qatar, and we all know what is happening in the Middle East,” Bwalya said on 947’s MSW.

Bwalya, a veteran of nearly 45 years in football, described the moment the call came through: “So, an opportunity came to Zambia through our contacts. I’ve been in this game for close to 40-something years now, so when the call came, I also almost fell off my chair, to say, ‘Which Argentina are you talking about?’ But needless to say, it’s a wonderful opportunity.”

The Zambian FA is reportedly negotiating terms, including potential contributions from Argentina to offset costs. Bwalya noted the financial challenges African teams face when hosting elite sides: “It’s in the negotiations (Argentina potentially covering some costs), I don’t think FA Zambia would have enough money to bring big teams to Zambia in a way, but in the time we’ve been around, Zambia played against Brazil in Beijing, China, in 2013. Zambia played against Japan in America in 2014 before they went to the World Cup.”

He emphasized that relationships are key to arranging such matches: “So, it’s all about relationships. It’s not easy for African teams to bring these illustrious teams because the costs are huge, but at the same time, you have to find a way and try to sell your sporting side,” Bwalya added.

The friendly promises to be a rare opportunity for the Zambian squad to measure themselves against one of the world’s footballing powerhouses, offering players invaluable exposure ahead of upcoming international fixtures.

Argentina will play against Mauritania in the first World Cup warm-up friendly on Friday before coming up against Zambia next Tuesday, both games will be played at Boca Juniors’ La Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires.