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ZAMBIA - ATLAS OF OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
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Chipolopolo lift their Africa Cup of Nations trophy and display their medals
AFP, 2012
Sports play an important social and cultural role
in Zambia. They cement communities and help
to promote national symbols, emblems, colours,
flora and fauna. Football is Zambia’s favourite pass-
time and has been played in the country for more
than a hundred years. The Football Association of
Zambia (FAZ) was established in 1929 to raise soccer
standards in the country. It is one of the oldest
football federations on the African continent and
is a member of the world football governing body,
International Federation of Association Football
and Confederation of African Football (FAZ, 2012).
Zambia’s first taste of international football came on
Football and SportS
July 4, 1964, when the national team played and won
a match against Tanzania in the newly independent
Republic of Malawi. Since Zambia’s independence in
October 1964, football has grown to be the country’s
most popular sport. Zambians are proud of their
national team commonly known as “Chipolopolo
Boys” (Copper Bullet or Big Guns) (FAZ, 2011).
In 2012, Zambia won the Africa Cup of Nations, a
tournament held every two years in January and
February. It was a joyous and historical moment for
Zambia (Confederation of African Football, 2012).