Red Arrows have won the 2026 Charity Shield after a 1-0 victory over Super League champions Power Dynamos at Nkoloma Stadium in Lusaka.
The match was decided 10 minutes before full time when Arrows midfielder Ackim Mumba converted from a dead-ball situation to give his side the lead.
The Charity Shield marks the opening competition of Zambia’s 2026 transitional football season, with the Super League scheduled to begin in the first week of October.
Mumba attributed the victory to the team’s work during preparations.
“It feels good to win the Charity Shield but it all comes back to hard work and teamwork. We have been improving in training and that is why we have carried the day,” he said.
Power had opportunities to score but were unable to find the net, including from the penalty spot.
Assistant coach Linos Makwaza described the defeat as disappointing but said the team would focus on addressing its finishing ahead of the league campaign.
“It is a painful defeat. We prepared well for this game, we played all the football but missed a lot of chances including a penalty. That is the name of the game,” Makwaza said.
“We will just continue pushing. Football is for the brave, we accept this result.”
Makwaza added that converting chances would be a priority for the team.
“Going forward we have to work on our finishing, we are creating a lot of chances but our finishing is letting us down,” he said.
The match comes after Power’s early exit from the CAF Champions League following elimination by Sudanese club Al Merreikh.
For Arrows, the Charity Shield provides an early piece of silverware ahead of the Super League campaign, while Power will turn their attention to preparations for the start of the domestic season.
The Super League is expected to get underway in the first week of October.
