Zambia leaves key women players at US clubs for fear of re-entry being refused

April 4 – The Trump administration has said it will welcome all for FIFA events over the next two years, however, the Zambia women’s national team is taking no chances and has removed four US-based players from their squad.

With Zambia due to play Thailand and either China or Uzbekistan in China this week, the Zambian Football Association has concerns about players leaving and re-entering the United States, hence the removal of Orlando Pride trio Barbra Banda (pictured), Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda along with Bay FC’s Rachael Kundananji. Banda is Zambia’s captain and forms part of the team’s first-choice frontline alongside Kundananji.

In a statement, the FA said that the decision was “owing to additional travel measures introduced by the new administration in the United States of America.”

“After working through the process instigated by recently introduced measures, it was decided that it is in the best interest of our players to skip this assignment,” the FAZ general secretary, Reuben Kamanga, said in a statement. “They will definitely be available for future assignments as they were for the last window when we played Malawi.”

Withdrawing the four players from the travel party was done with the advice of the Zambian mission in Washington DC and both National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) clubs.

How the Trump administration handles the comings and goings of players over the next 16 months is one of the great intangibles in world football, especially with more than 40 countries on his hit list.

Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1743746248labto1743746248ofdlr1743746248owedi1743746248sni@o1743746248fni1743746248