Futsal AFCON 2026: Zambia Beat Libya 3-1 in Tournament Opener
Before Morocco’s evening show, the Futsal AFCON 2026 curtain-raiser belonged to Zambia. Chipolopolo opened their Group A campaign with a 3-1 win over Libya at the Moulay Abdellah sports hall on Monday — and they did it the emphatic way, racing into a two-goal lead inside six minutes.
Royd Chishala struck after just two minutes, and Patrick Mwila doubled the advantage in the 6th minute to give Zambia a commanding early cushion. Mwila struck again in the 23rd minute to complete his brace right after the restart, putting the contest firmly in Zambia’s hands.
Libya’s late consolation
To their credit, Libya kept pushing. The reigning bronze medallists were rewarded in the final minute when Mohammed Abu Raas scored in the 40th — but by then it was too late to spoil Zambia’s evening.
What it means for Group A
The win puts Zambia level on points with Morocco at the top of Group A — and now comes the real test. Zambia face the hosts and defending champions on Wednesday night, while Libya must regroup quickly for their meeting with Algeria earlier the same day.
For newcomers to the sport, our complete beginner’s guide explains everything you need to know about futsal — including the 40-minute format that decided this one, which you can find in our futsal rules guide.
