Avram Grant Resigns as Zambia Coach Eight Weeks Before AFCON

Avram Grant has stepped down as head coach of the Zambia national football team just eight weeks before the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, following the team's failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Grant, who coached Zambia for almost three years and led them to consecutive AFCON qualifications, expressed pride in improving the team despite recent poor performances, including three home defeats in World Cup qualifiers without scoring. Zambia's recent struggles, including a first-round exit at the 2024 AFCON and disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign, led the Football Association of Zambia to mutually agree with Grant to part ways in order to "chart a new way forward." The team will face tough competition in the upcoming AFCON group stage, including hosts Morocco and Comoros, with tensions running high due to recent losses. Grant thanked the players, staff, and the Zambian people for their support and expressed hope that Zambia will qualify for a World Cup in the future, a feat the nation has yet to achieve. The Football Association has not yet named a replacement, leaving Zambia at a critical crossroads ahead of the tournament.