LUSAKA - Copper Queens head coach Nora Häuptle has criticised the Confederation of African Football (CAF) head-to-head tiebreak rule that saw Zambia eliminated from the 2026 Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) despite finishing the group stage with six points.
Zambia exited Group B after CAF applied Article 71.2 of the WAFCON regulations to separate three teams that finished level on points.
The Copper Queens, Malawi, and Nigeria each concluded the group stage with six points. Under the regulations, the first tiebreaker for teams tied on points is the number of points obtained in matches played among the tied teams.
All three teams earned three points in those head-to-head matches, prompting CAF to apply the second tiebreaker - goal difference in the matches involving the tied teams. With all three teams again level on a goal difference of zero, the third tiebreaker, goals scored in those matches, determined the final standings.
Malawi advanced as Group B winners after scoring four goals in the mini-league, while Nigeria finished second with three goals. Zambia, having scored two goals in those matches, was eliminated.
The outcome came despite Zambia defeating Malawi 2-1 in its final group match. The Copper Queens finished the group stage with two victories and one defeat, recording a 6-0 win over Egypt, a 2-1 win over Malawi, and a 1-0 loss to Nigeria.
Häuptle questioned whether the regulations fairly reflected overall performance.
"We know the regulations, we were prepared, we knew we needed to have two goals' difference. We got six points in this group like Nigeria and Malawi, we scored the most goals in this group, we conceded the least goals in this group," she said.
"Sometimes I am not sure if we do the right things with this kind of regulations because it feels completely weird that we are out."
Although Zambia finished the group stage with the highest number of goals scored and the fewest goals conceded overall, the head-to-head criteria meant the narrow defeat to Nigeria ultimately denied the Copper Queens a place in the knockout stage.
Source: Mwebantu