2025 ABSA Cup
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| ABSA Bank Zambia Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country | Zambia |
| Dates | 15 March – 10 May 2025 |
| Teams | 21 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | ZESCO United (7th title) |
| Runners-up | Red Arrows |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 19 |
| Goals scored | 55 (2.89 per match) |
| Top goal scorer | Wilfred Sikanyika (3 goals) (Red Arrows) |
The 2025 Absa Cup was the 18th edition of the annual knock-out competition in Zambian football, organized by FAZ. For the second time in the tournament’s history, the competition featured 21 teams. Following a format revamp approved by FAZ and Absa Bank Zambia in 2024, the Absa Cup included 10 provincial teams, seven MTN Super League teams, and four ZPL National League teams. This expanded format was designed to enhance nationwide participation and increase excitement in the tournament. Ten provincial teams competed in preliminary matches held on 15–16 March to determine which clubs advanced to the Round of 16. From that stage, the competition followed a single-elimination format, with knockout rounds played through the quarterfinals and semifinals, culminating in the final.[1]
The ABSA Cup is a single-elimination tournament featuring 21 teams in 2025, an expanded format introduced in the 2023 edition. It consisted of: 10 provincial representatives from Zambia’s ten provinces, who contested in a preliminary round. 7 MTN Super League clubs (top tier) and 4 National Division One teams (second tier), who entered in the Round of 16. All rounds were drawn randomly, with matches played at neutral venues across Zambia.[2]
| Round | Main date (weekends) | Number of fixtures | Clubs remaining | New entries this round | Winner prize money | Loser prize money | Divisions entering this round |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary round | 15–16 March 2025 | 5 | 21 → 16 | 10 provincial teams | K15,000 | K10,000 | 10 Provincial Division One teams |
| Round of 16 | 5–6 April 2025 | 8 | 16 → 8 | 7 Super League teams 4 National Division One teams | K30,000 | K20,000 | MTN Super League National Division One |
| Quarter-finals | 12–13 April 2025 | 4 | 8 → 4 | None | K75,000 | K30,000 | None |
| Semi-finals | 26 April 2025 | 2 | 4 → 2 | None | K200,000 | K100,000 | None |
| Final | 10 May 2025 | 1 | 2 → 1 | None | K1,000,000[3] | K400,000 | None |
Preliminary round
Round of 16
The 16 winners from the preliminary round and National Division One clubs played in the Round of 16.
| Super League | National Division One | Provincial Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
7 / 16 |
4 / 4 |
5 / 10 |
16 / 21 |
| 5 April 2025 | Kansanshi Dynamos | 4–1 | Green Buffaloes | Kabwe |
| 13:00 CAT |
|
|
Stadium: Godfrey Ucar Chitalu Stadium Attendance: 2,350 Referee: Martin Malama |
| 5 April 2025 | Mpulungu Harbour | 1–6 | Red Arrows | Kabwe |
| 15:30 CAT |
|
|
Stadium: Godfrey Ucar Chitalu Stadium Attendance: 3,150 Referee: Andrew Banda |
| 5 April 2025 | Solwezi Academy | 0–2 | Konkola Blades | Kitwe |
| 15:00 CAT |
|
Stadium: Arthur Davies Stadium Attendance: 1,800 Referee: Felix Chanda |
| 5 April 2025 | Roan United | 1–1 (Nkana won 3–1 on penalties) | Nkana | Kitwe |
| 17:30 CAT |
|
|
Stadium: Arthur Davies Stadium Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Patrick Phiri | |
| Penalties | ||||
|
|
|||
| 6 April 2025 | Prison Leopards | 0–0 (Green Eagles won 4–2 on penalties) | Green Eagles | Lusaka |
| 13:00 CAT | Stadium: Nkoloma Stadium Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Brian Mwansa |
| 6 April 2025 | Air Power | 0–3 | Power Dynamos | Lusaka |
| 15:30 CAT |
|
Stadium: Nkoloma Stadium Attendance: 3,700 Referee: James Zulu |
| 6 April 2025 | Barts FC | 1–3 | ZESCO United | Kabwe |
| 13:00 CAT |
|
|
Stadium: Godfrey Ucar Chitalu Stadium Attendance: 3,000 Referee: Steven Banda |
| 6 April 2025 | Makeni All Stars | 0–2 | Kabwe Warriors | Kabwe |
| 15:30 CAT |
|
Stadium: Godfrey Ucar Chitalu Stadium Attendance: 2,800 Referee: Richard Phiri |
Quarter-finals
The eight winners from the Round of 16 played in the quarter-finals.[3]
| Super League | National Division One | Provincial Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
6 / 16 |
2 / 4 |
0 / 10 |
8 / 21 |
| 12 April 2025 | ZESCO United | 2–0 | Konkola Blades | Kitwe |
| 13:00 CAT |
|
Stadium: Arthur Davies Stadium Attendance: 5,200 Referee: Patrick Phiri |
| 12 April 2025 | Kansanshi Dynamos | 0–0 (Nkana won 3–2 on penalties) | Nkana | Kitwe |
| 15:30 CAT | Stadium: Arthur Davies Stadium Attendance: 6,100 Referee: James Banda | |||
| Penalties | ||||
|
|
|||
| 13 April 2025 | Red Arrows | 3–1 | Green Eagles | Lusaka |
| 13:00 CAT |
|
|
Stadium: Nkoloma Stadium Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Brian Mwansa |
| 13 April 2025 | Kabwe Warriors | 0–2 | Power Dynamos | Lusaka |
| 15:30 CAT |
|
Stadium: Nkoloma Stadium Attendance: 5,500 Referee: Steven Chibwe |
Semi-finals
The four winners from the quarter-finals played in the semi-finals. All four teams remaining were MTN Super League sides. On 23 April 2025, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and ABSA Bank Zambia reversed an earlier decision to relocate the 2025 ABSA Cup semi-finals. Initially scheduled for Kabwe’s Railway Stadium — due to crowd-safety concerns from a derby incident at Ndola—the matches will now proceed as originally planned at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola [4] FAZ explained the reversal followed widespread alarm over spectator safety after the Kitwe Derby between Nkana and Power Dynamos, during which over 500 stadium seats were damaged by Nkana supporters.[5][6][7] In response, FAZ and ABSA reassessed the situation, concluding that full preparations at Ndola should continue.[8]
| Super League | National Division One | Provincial Teams | |
|---|---|---|---|
4 / 16 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 10 |
4 / 21 |
| 26 April 2025 | Red Arrows | 1–0 | Power Dynamos | Ndola |
| 15:00 CAT |
|
Stadium: Levy Mwanawasa Stadium Attendance: 10,800 Referee: Andrew Zulu |
| 26 April 2025 | ZESCO United | 1–0 | Nkana | Ndola |
| 17:30 CAT |
|
Stadium: Levy Mwanawasa Stadium Attendance: 12,400 Referee: Felix Lungu |