The Zambia national badminton team represents Zambia in international badminton team competitions. The team is controlled by the Zambia Badminton Association.

The Zambian team won two runner-up places in the 1982 African Badminton Championships. Their most recent achievement was in 2017 African Badminton Championships where the mixed team got into the semi-finals for bronze. The team participated in the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Zambia made its badminton debut in the Olympics when Eli Mambwe participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics men singles event in Beijing, China.

History British soldiers introduced badminton to Zambia in the 1940s, when the nation was still a British protectorate. In 1947, the Northern Rhodesia Badminton Association was formed and became part of the International Badminton Federation in 1948.

After Zambia's independence in 1964, the national team became part of the Badminton Confederation of Africa in the 1970s. At the time, the national team hosted its first national championships.

Men's team The Zambian men's team first competed internationally in the 1982 African Badminton Championships men's team event and finished as runners-up. In 1984, the men's team took part in qualifying for the 1984 Thomas Cup but failed as the team lost 5–0 to Denmark and Ireland in the group stages. In the qualifiers for the 1986 Thomas Cup, Zambia lost all their matches against Sweden, Austria, Iceland and France.

The Zambian team had better results in the 1998 Thomas Cup qualifiers. Although the team lost all their matches to Portugal and Italy, they were able to win a match against Kazakhstan and prevailed against the Georgian team after winning 4–1 in the final match.

The men's team then competed in the 2006 Thomas & Uber Cups Preliminaries for Africa which serves as qualification for the Thomas Cup. The men's team reached the semi-finals but lost to South Africa.

In 2022, the men's team competed in the 2022 All Africa Men's and Team Badminton Championships. The team beat Zimbabwe to finish second in Group A and advanced to the quarter-finals. They then lost 3–1 against South Africa at the quarter-final stage.

Women's team The Zambian women's team finished in fourth place at the 1982 African Badminton Championships women's team event. The team tried to qualify for the 1986 Uber Cup but lost all their matches in their group.

Mixed team The Zambian mixed team first competed in the 1982 African Badminton Championships. The team finished as runners-up after losing to Nigeria in the final.

Zambia then competed in the 2017 African Badminton Championships. The Zambian team finished as group runner-up and advanced to the semi-finals for a guaranteed bronze medal. The team lost 3–0 to rivals South Africa in the semi-finals. In 2018, the Zambian team debuted in the Commonwealth Games mixed team event. The team finished on the bottom of their group after losing to Mauritius, Jamaica and Singapore.

In 2022, the team made their second appearance at the Commonwealth Games. The team lost 5–0 to Malaysia. The Mulenga brothers have been saviors for the Zambian team as they were able to win a match against Jarred Elliott and Robert Summers of South Africa. Zambia ended their 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign after losing 4–1 against Jamaica.

Competitive record

Thomas Cup YearRound1949Did not enter195219551958196119641967197019731976197919821984Did not qualify19861988Did not enter1990Withdrew1992Did not enter199419961998Did not qualify20002002Did not enter2004Did not qualify2006200820102012Did not enter2014Did not qualify2016Did not enter2018Did not qualify2020Did not enter2022Did not qualify202420262028To be determined2030

Uber Cup YearRound1957to1984Did not enter1986Did not qualify1988Did not enter1990Did not qualify1992Did not enter1994199619982000200220042006Did not qualify2008Did not enter201020122014Did not qualify2016Did not enter20182020202220242026Did not qualify2028To be determined2030

Sudirman Cup YearRound1989to2019Did not enter2021Did not qualify202320252027To be determined2029

Commonwealth Games

Men's team YearRound1998Did not enter

Women's team YearRound1998Did not enter

Mixed team YearRound1978to2014Did not enter2018Group stage13th2022Group stage14th2026To be determined

African Games Mixed team YearRound2003Did not enter2007201120152019Quarter-finals6th2027To be determined

African Team Championships

Men's team YearRound1979Withdrew1980 Did not enter1982Runners-up2nd1984Runners-up2nd1988 Did not enter20162018Quarter-finals6th2020Did not enter2022Quarter-finals6th2024Group stage6th2026Semi-finals4th2028To be determined2030

Women's team YearRound1979Withdrew1980 Did not enter1982Fourth place4th1984Third place3rd1988Did not enter201620182020202220242026Group stage8th2028To be determined2030

Mixed team YearRound1980 Did not enter19821984Third place3rd1988Did not enter19921994Group stage1998Did not enter2000200220042006Group stage6th2007Semi-finals4th2009Group stage2011Did not enter2013Group stage9th2014Group stage7th2017Semi-finals3rd2019Quarter-finals8th2021Quarter-finals6th2023Quarter-finals8th2025Group stage7th2027To be determined2029

FISU World University Games

Mixed team Year Round2007Group stage20th2011Did not enter20132015201720212025To be determined

World University Team Championships

Mixed team YearRound2008Did not enter20102012201420162018 **Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Junior competitive record

Suhandinata Cup

YearRound2000Did not enter2002Group stage20th2004Did not enter200620072008200920102011201220132014Withdrew201520162017Did not enter201820192022202320242025 2026 Qualified

Commonwealth Youth Games Mixed team YearRound2004Did not enter

African Youth Games

Men's team YearRound2018Did not enter

Women's team YearRound2018Did not enter

Mixed team YearRound2014Group stage8th

African Junior Team Championships

Mixed team YearRound1979Withdrew1980Runners-up2nd1982Runners-up2nd1984Third place3rd1988Did not enter1993Third place3rd1995Fourth place4th1997Fourth place4th1999Fourth place4th2001Fourth place4thGroup stage (Team B)6th2003Group stage5th2005Fourth place4th2007Group stage5th2009Did not enter201120132016Group stage2021Did not enter2022Group stage7th2024Did not enter2026 **Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

Staff The following list shows the coaching staff for the national badminton team of Zambia. +NameRole Mulenga KingstinCoach

Players

Current squad

Men's team NameDoB/AgeRanking of eventMSMDXDChongo Mulenga614230729Kalombo Mulenga289230319Timothy Kafunda574259740Mwanza Edward448259 –Mark Banda – – –Mwansa Rodrick – – –

Women's team NameDoB/AgeRanking of eventWSWDXDElizaberth Chipeleme429349319Evelyn Siamupangila399349729Matildah Kalandanya726502740Victoria Mulengula 726 502 –Martha Mkandawire – – –Tukuza Mbewe – – –

Previous squads

Commonwealth Games

Mixed team: 2018, 2022

African Games

Mixed team: 2019

African Team Championships

Men's team: 2010, 2018, 2022 Mixed team: 2013, 2014, 2017, 2021, 2023

See also

Sport in Zambia

Notes

References