Bruce Mwape, former Copper Queens coach, dies at 67 in Chingola
Bruce Mwape, former Copper Queens coach, has died at 67 in Chingola, leaving a legacy that includes World Cup and Olympic qualifications for Zambia.
Bruce Mwape, the coach who transformed the Copper Queens into a global competitor, died on the morning of July 9, 2026, at Nchanga South Mine Hospital in Chingola following a short illness. (lusakatimes.com)
FAZ announces death and offers condolences
The Football Association of Zambia confirmed Mwape’s passing and described his death as a profound loss for Zambian football, with FAZ President Keith Mweemba offering formal condolences to the family and the wider football community. (lusakatimes.com)
Mweemba’s statement emphasized the scale of Mwape’s contribution to the national game and pledged that FAZ would provide fuller details about funeral arrangements and other formalities in due course. (lusakatimes.com)
Details of illness and family statement
According to family sources, Mwape suffered a suspected stroke the previous Tuesday, was admitted to hospital and subsequently died after what the family described as a short illness. His son, Chikonde, spoke publicly about the health scare that preceded his father’s passing. (lusakatimes.com)
FAZ officials said the association’s secretariat is in contact with the family in Chingola as they prepare to make arrangements and honour a coach who became synonymous with the rise of Zambian women’s football. (lusakatimes.com)
Coaching tenure and record with the Copper Queens
Mwape was appointed head coach of the Copper Queens in 2018 and guided the team to a sequence of achievements that marked the most successful era in the nation’s women’s program. Under his stewardship, Zambia qualified for three Women’s Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and secured a place at major global events. (lusakatimes.com)
The record under Mwape included winning a WAFCON bronze medal in 2022, which helped cement the team’s reputation on the continent, and securing Zambia’s first-ever appearance at the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023. His tenure also produced back-to-back Olympic qualifications. (lusakatimes.com)
Road to global tournaments
Mwape’s tactical approach and player development programs were credited with elevating Zambia from regional contender to a team capable of competing on the world stage. Players who rose to prominence during his tenure frequently cited the stability and clear identity he brought to the squad. (zambianfootball.co.zm)
Those campaigns — including Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic appearances and the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand — are widely regarded as milestones that reshaped expectations for the Copper Queens and inspired a new generation of players across Zambia. (lusakatimes.com)
Earlier coaching experience and domestic career
Before taking charge of the national women’s team, Mwape built his coaching résumé in Zambian club football and in youth national setups, including a spell as the Under-17 men’s national team coach in 2015. His domestic work with clubs such as Nchanga Rangers and other Copperbelt sides established him as a familiar figure in Zambian coaching circles. (zambianfootball.co.zm)
Observers point to his willingness to promote domestic talent and to integrate young players into senior squads as a defining element of his coaching philosophy, which helped expand the pool of players capable of competing internationally. (zambianfootball.co.zm)
Reactions from the football community
Tributes poured in from former players, colleagues and commentators who credited Mwape with raising the profile of women’s football in Zambia and across Africa. Many noted his role in delivering the country’s first appearances at several major tournaments and in changing how the national program approached international competition. (lusakatimes.com)
National and regional media coverage framed his death as the close of a pivotal chapter for the Copper Queens, with commentators highlighting both on-field successes and his broader influence on coaching standards and player pathways in Zambia. (zambianfootball.co.zm)
FAZ plans and immediate steps
FAZ has said it will issue fuller details about memorial arrangements and any planned tributes in the coming days, while confirming that its secretariat remains in close contact with Mwape’s family in Chingola. The association’s message underlined a commitment to honouring his contributions in an official capacity. (lusakatimes.com)
Officials also indicated that the association will coordinate with local and national stakeholders to ensure those arrangements reflect Mwape’s standing in Zambian football and provide an opportunity for players and fans to pay their respects. (lusakatimes.com)
Bruce Mwape’s death marks the passing of a coach whose results and leadership redefined Zambia’s place in women’s football, leaving a record of tournament qualifications and developmental work that will be measured against by successors and celebrated by those who witnessed the team’s rise.
