Former Copper Queens Coach Bruce Mwape Dies at 67
Former Zambia Women’s National Team head coach Bruce Mwape has died at the age of 67, bringing to an end the life of one of the most influential figures in the history of Zambian women’s football.
Mwape passed away in the early hours of today at Nchanga South Mine Hospital in Chingola. According to family sources, he suffered a suspected stroke last Tuesday and had been receiving treatment before his passing.
A former defender for Roan United and Nchanga Rangers during his playing career, Mwape took charge of the Copper Queens in 2018 and transformed the national team into one of Africa’s leading women’s football sides.
During his tenure, he guided Zambia to three Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) tournaments in 2018, 2022 and 2024 (played in 2025). His breakthrough achievement came in 2020 when he led the Copper Queens to a historic qualification for the Tokyo Olympic Games after defeating Cameroon.
Mwape went on to write another chapter in Zambian football history by leading the Copper Queens to a bronze medal at the 2022 WAFCON in Morocco. That achievement secured Zambia’s maiden qualification for the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
He also became the first Zambian coach to lead any national team at a senior FIFA World Cup. Although Zambia exited the 2023 tournament in the group stage after defeats to Japan and Spain, the Copper Queens claimed their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup victory with a 3-1 win over Costa Rica.
His achievements also included guiding Zambia to back-to-back Olympic Games appearances at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, cementing his place among the country’s most successful football coaches.
Away from the national team, Mwape also served as head coach of Nchanga Rangers on several occasions during his coaching career.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Keith Mweemba described Mwape’s death as a huge loss to both the football fraternity and the nation.
“The death of Coach Mwape is a huge shock to the football family and the nation as a whole. We extend our deepest condolences to the family and can only wish them God’s strength at this hour,” Mweemba said.
He added:
“Everyone recognises Coach Mwape’s contribution to our game, especially his reign as Copper Queens coach, where he took the team to unimaginable heights. He took the Copper Queens to back-to-back Olympics, WAFCON bronze in 2022 and the first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup appearance.”
Bruce Mwape leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that transformed women’s football in Zambia. His leadership helped elevate the Copper Queens onto the global stage, inspiring a new generation of female footballers and securing his place as one of the greatest coaches in the country’s football history.
