Soccer is king
As is often the case, soccer is the most popular sport in the country. And, as in all English-speaking destinations, it is soccer. In the villages, young people play soccer with makeshift balls. And every major Zambian city has a soccer club. The local championship has been dominated in recent years by Zanaco Football Club of Lusaka and Zesco United Football Club of Ndola. At the international level, the Zambian national team remains a rather confidential team that has never participated in the World Cup. However, the Chipolopolos (or "copper balls", in reference to the presence of copper in the Zambian soil), the nickname of the team, have already shone at the CAN (the African Cup of Nations). After the 1974 final and the semi-finals and third places in 1982, 1990 and 1996, Zambia lifted the trophy in 2012 by beating Côte d'Ivoire in the final after a fateful penalty shootout. Led by French coach Herve Renard, who has since become a local legend, and the tournament's best player and striker Chris Katongo, the Chipolopolos created the sensation of the tournament and went down in football history.
Among the great Zambian players, we must not forget to mention the striker Kalusha Bwalya, who won the African Golden Ball in 1988 and became coach and even president of the Zambian Football Association.
Between adventure and thrills
Zambia is an exceptional land for sporty adventurers. Starting with the safaris, of course, which can be more or less muscular according to the tastes, in 4x4(game drive or night drive), but also on foot (in the South Luangwa National Park in the company of excellent guides) or by canoe (in the Lower Zambezi National Park) to go in search of the Big 5.
For more adrenaline, the surroundings of Livingstone, surely the African capital of adrenaline, and the mythical Victoria Falls serve as a (grandiose) backdrop to activities reserved for thrill seekers. First of all, there is rafting, which has been very successful since competitions (including the world championship) were organized in Victoria Falls. Rafting sessions downstream of the falls, as well as canyoning or white water swimming upstream, are highly recommended activities. Riverboarding is also very popular. It is nothing more or less than bodyboarding... but sliding on the rapids!
Those who are looking for the big thrill can also try a bungee jump, the bungee-jumping, considered as the highest bungee jump in the world. It is a dizzying plunge of 111 meters from the Victoria Falls Bridge, the bridge over the Zambezi River. Other adrenaline-filled activities include abseiling, helicopter and microlight flights, and long canoe, horse and elephant rides.
A fishing destination
Zambia has a lot to offer to fishermen with the mythical Zambezi River and its numerous lakes. Lake Kariba, for example, welcomes many inhabitants of Lusaka who come to fish for a weekend in the small village of Siavonga. This is because more than 40 species of fish are found there, including the tasty bream and the brave tiger fish, which give sport fishing addicts a hard time. In the north of the country, Lake Tanganyika is also a good place for this hobby, with the possibility of trying to reel in highly sought-after catches: Nile perch, goliath tiger fish, vundu catfish, salmon and yellow belly, to name a few.
