LUSAKA – The Copper Princesses now have their full 21-member squad in camp in Morocco, but one arrival has added a different dimension to Zambia’s preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
England-based forward Jessica Choolwe Johnson has joined the squad in Casablanca, completing Coach Carol Kanyemba’s group ahead of the tournament that kicks off in Morocco later this month.
Johnson, who is on the books of Aston Villa’s U21 side, has returned to the national team after a period away from international duty while pursuing her academics and attending to club commitments.
For the teenager, however, the return is less about making an entrance and more about rejoining a group she already knows.
“It is great to be back with the girls, just happy to be part of the team again,” Johnson said.
Her arrival comes at a particularly important point in the Copper Princesses’ preparations.
The team is already in Casablanca for a pre-World Cup camp and will use international friendly matches to assess its readiness before moving on to the tournament venue.
China provides the first major test on Friday.
Why Jessica’s return matters
Johnson does not arrive simply as another name added to a 21-player list.
She comes into the squad with experience of playing in England and has been developing her football outside Zambia, while still maintaining a connection with the national team.
That gives Kanyemba another attacking option as Zambia prepares for one of the most demanding group stages in the tournament.
And Johnson herself has made no secret of what she wants to contribute.
“I think I will be able to contribute well and hopefully be able to score some goals so we can get past the group stage,” she said.
That target is significant because Zambia’s route to the knockout stages will not be straightforward.
The Copper Princesses have been drawn in Group D alongside Japan, France and Venezuela.
They will begin their campaign against Japan on October 18 before facing Venezuela on October 21 and France on October 24.
For a young squad, the group presents three very different tests and leaves little room for a slow start.
China comes before the World Cup
Before any of those matches, however, Zambia has an opportunity to measure itself against China.
Johnson believes the friendly can provide an important indication of where the team stands.
“I think it (China game) is very important because it sets us up for the group stage to see where we are,” she said.
That is perhaps the real purpose of the Casablanca camp.
The result against China will matter, but Kanyemba and her technical bench are likely to be looking beyond the scoreline.
The friendly provides an opportunity to assess combinations, attacking movement, defensive organisation and the readiness of players who have travelled from different football environments.
For Johnson, it will also be an opportunity to reconnect with the international game before the competition becomes official.
A tough group, but Johnson is not backing away
Japan, France and Venezuela represent a difficult opening assignment for Zambia.
Johnson acknowledges that.
“It is a tough group but I think we can get past it,” she said.
That confidence will be important in a tournament where Zambia will need more than individual talent.
The Copper Princesses will need to manage three group matches in six days, with the opening game against Japan followed quickly by Venezuela and France.
Their preparation in Morocco is therefore not simply about getting players fit.
It is about building a team capable of handling the intensity of a World Cup group.
Zambia’s growing presence at the U-17 World Cup
This is also becoming a familiar stage for Zambia’s young women footballers.
The 2026 tournament will be Zambia’s fourth appearance at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, following earlier qualifications in 2014, 2024 and 2025.
That progression gives the current generation something previous Copper Princesses did not have: the experience of increasingly regular participation at the highest level of youth women’s football.
But past appearances do not guarantee progress in the present tournament.
This team will have to create its own story.
And Johnson appears to understand that.
“I hope to be a good part of the team,” she said.
The emphasis is notable.
Despite coming from an English club environment and returning to a squad preparing for a major global tournament, Johnson is speaking about what she can contribute to the collective rather than presenting herself as the centre of the team.
“Hopefully we can bring it home”
There is also a personal side to Johnson’s return.
She says she is pleased to be back with the team and thanked supporters for continuing to follow the Copper Princesses.
“It is great. Obviously, they (fans) want me back, so I hope that I can show what I can do to help the team,” she said.
Then came the message to the fans:
“Hopefully you can keep supporting us throughout the tournament and hopefully we can bring it home.”
For now, however, there is work to do before Zambia can think about a place in the latter stages.
China comes first.
Then Japan.
Then Venezuela.
Then France.
And somewhere within that demanding schedule will be the return of an England-based teenager who has come back to Morocco hoping to make her contribution.
Jessica Johnson has completed the Copper Princesses’ 21-member squad.
The next question is what she and her teammates can do with the opportunity.
Zambian Eye will follow the Copper Princesses’ journey in Morocco as Zambia prepares for another FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup campaign.