The Copper Princesses’ third successive under-17 World Cup began badly and may be decided on its second night. Zambia lost 5–0 to Japan at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in their Group D opener, with Kurita Nanami scoring in the ninth minute from a Hanashiro Mei cross and Oshita Sayana adding a second in the 13th, News Diggers reported. On Wednesday 21 October at 20:00 CAT they meet Venezuela, who lost 2–0 to France, in a match Lusaka Times describes as one that would leave Zambia’s round-of-16 hopes hanging by a thread if it is lost. The game is streamed on FIFA+, ZamFoot reports, with Japan playing France at 17:00 CAT and France waiting for Zambia in the final group match.
Coach Carol Kanyemba, who has taken the side to the 2024, 2025 and 2026 tournaments, has spent the week on morale.
We have been encouraging the girls that losing one game is not the end of the tournament.
— Carol Kanyemba, Zambia under-17 women’s coach, ahead of the Venezuela match, as reported by Lusaka Times on 20 October
Captain Taonga Mubanga told ZamFoot the team had worked on the mistakes from the Japan game and that the match was a must-win which would show whether Zambia can reach the last 16; Lusaka Times quotes her as saying the team “will win”. Debutant Dorcas Mulosha said the fixture would motivate the squad. The outlets differ on the tournament format — Lusaka Times says the top two in each group go through with the three best third-placed teams, ZamFoot says four — and this story does not resolve that.
Sekeletu in Tenerife
In Spain, Ken Sekeletu retained his featherweight title at the Fight 2 One 12 event in Tenerife on Saturday, stopping Christopher Reyes by technical knockout at 1 minute 42 seconds of the third round after a body shot, strikes and a takedown left the referee no choice, News Diggers reported. The paper says the win follows an earlier technical knockout of Argentina’s Lucas Codutti; it does not name the sanctioning body or give Sekeletu’s full record.
The result from Rabat will be reported in Thursday’s edition. Kick-off is 20:00 CAT.
Sources: Lusaka Times, “U-17 Women Target Recovery Against Venezuela” (20 Oct 2026); ZamFoot, “Taonga Mubanga: Zambia determined to bounce back against Venezuela” (21 Oct 2026); News Diggers, “Japan thrash Zambia 5-0 in U17 World Cup opener” (19 Oct 2026); News Diggers, “Sekeletu retains featherweight title with third-round TKO over Reyes” (20 Oct 2026).