Kitwe derby to headline transition season pool A

The Kitwe derby between record Super Division champions Nkana FC and defending champions Power Dynamos will headline Pool A of the 2026 MTN Super League Transition Season. ‎ ‎The Zambian Premier League has announced that the Transition Season will be divided into two streams…

The Kitwe derby between record Super Division champions Nkana FC and defending champions Power Dynamos will headline Pool A of the 2026 MTN Super League Transition Season.
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‎The Zambian Premier League has announced that the Transition Season will be divided into two streams based on final positions from the 2025/26 season.
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‎ Teams that finished in odd-numbered positions form one stream, while even-numbered teams make up the other.
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‎The new campaign will kick off on the weekend of 2 and 4 October 2026.
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‎The start date was moved from the previously announced 12 September to accommodate continental commitments for Red Arrows  and Power Dynamos.
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‎Record champions Nkana FC will begin their campaign away to newly promoted Trident FC at Sentinel Ground on 3 October 2026.
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‎Other teams in Pool A alongside Nkana and Power include: FC MUZA, Kansanshi Dynamos, Konkola Blades, Makeni All Stars, Trident FC, NAPSA Stars, Zanaco and Nchanga Rangers.
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‎Copperbelt giants Zesco United are in Pool B alongside Kabwe Warriors, Red Arrows, Roan United, Nkwazi, Mutondo Stars, Chirundu, Green Eagles and Green Buffaloes.
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‎The winners of Pool A and Pool B will eventually meet in a Championship Playoff Final.
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‎The winner of that final will be recognised and recorded as the 2026 Transition Season  Super League Champion.
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‎Meanwhile, football analyst Bwezani Mbewe says the Transition Season will be a test of squad depth and recovery, with 18 matches squeezed into less than four months.
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‎“We finally have a clearer picture of what the 2026 MTN Super League Transition Season will look like, and one thing immediately jumps out: this is going to be short, sharp and demanding. There will be very little room for the traditional slow start.”
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‎The analyst pointed to December as particularly demanding, with matches scheduled around 5/6 December, 9/10 December, 19/20 December and 23/24 December before teams return on 2/3 January.
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‎“There is hardly a Christmas break in football terms. This format will not only test the best starting XI. It will test benches, recovery, travelling arrangements, medical departments and how coaches rotate their players.”
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‎He warned that a bad run of three matches could be very expensive because there is not enough time to recover points.
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‎Mbewe also noted that the ZPL has warned that fixtures remain subject to change due to broadcast schedules, international windows, CAF inter-club competitions, FAZ Cup fixtures and other unforeseen circumstances.
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‎“This Transitional League will reward teams that start quickly and, perhaps even more importantly, teams with enough depth to survive the schedule. The teams that manage their squads, travel and recovery properly may ultimately be the ones standing strongest at the end.”