COSAFA_Senior_Challenge_Cup
COSAFA Cup
International association football tournament in Southern Africa
The COSAFA Cup (known fully as COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup) is an annual tournament for teams from Southern Africa organized by Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA), inaugurated after the ban against the Republic of South Africa had been lifted and the African Cup of Nations had been staged there in 1996.
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| Organising body | COSAFA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| Region | Southern Africa |
| Number of teams | 14 |
| Current champions |  Zambia(7th title) |
| Most successful team(s) | Zambia (7 titles) |
| Website | cosafa |
 2023 COSAFA Cup | |
The following teams have participated in the tournament in the past: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini (Swaziland), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Additionally, seven non-COSAFA members have competed: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal. Zambia has won the most titles with seven wins, followed by Zimbabwe with six wins. Zambia has been the most prolific side in the competition failing to reach the top 4 only four times since the tournament's inception. The first editions of the competition were a knockout tournament staged over several months. As the competition grew, it transformed into a series of mini-tournaments.[1]
The 2010 COSAFA Senior Challenge was to be the 14th edition of the football tournament that involves teams from Southern Africa. In July 2010 it was confirmed that Angola would host the competition.[2] The 2010 edition of the competition was cancelled in October, 2010.[3] COSAFA stated that the Angolan authorities did not give enough guarantees to host the tournament.
^n/a A round-robin tournament determined the final standings.
As of 2023[update]
| Team | Winners | Runners-up | Third Place | Fourth Place | Semi-finalists | Top 4 Finishes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zambia |
7 (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2022, 2023) | 6 (2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2017, 2018) | 1 (2008) | 1 (2001) | 3 (1999, 2002, 2003) | 19 |
 Zimbabwe |
6 (2000, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2017, 2018) | 3 (1998, 2001, 2013) | 1 (2019) | 2 (2004, 2006) | 12 | |
 South Africa |
5 (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021) | 2 (2013, 2023) | 1 (2009) | 2 (2000, 2005) | 10 | |
 Angola |
3 (1999, 2001, 2004) | 1 (2006) | 1 (1998) | 2 (2000, 2005) | 7 | |
 Namibia |
1 (2015) | 3 (1997, 1999, 2022) | 1 (1998) | 5 | ||
 Mozambique |
2 (2008, 2015) | 2 (1997, 2009) | 2 (2021, 2022) | 2 (2004, 2007) | 8 | |
 Malawi |
2 (2002, 2003) | 1 (2001) | 1 (2023) | 4 | ||
 Botswana |
2 (2016, 2019) | 1 (2015) | 2 (2006, 2007) | 5 | ||
 Lesotho |
2 (2000, 2023) | 1 (2018) | 3 (2013, 2017, 2019) | 6 | ||
 Senegal |
1 (2021) | 1 (2022) | 2 | |||
 Eswatini[lower-alpha 1] |
2 (2016, 2021) | 3 (1999, 2002, 2003) | 5 | |||
 Madagascar |
1 (2015) | 2 (2008, 2018) | 3 | |||
 Tanzania |
1 (2017) | 1 (1997) | 2 | |||
 DR Congo |
1 (2016) | 1 |
- Legend
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| Team | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 20102 | 2013 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angola |
– | 3rd | 1st | SF | 1st | QF | 1R | 1st | SF | 2nd | 1R | QF | QF | x | QF | – | GS | GS | GS | ––1 | – | GS | GS | 18 |
| Botswana |
1R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | 1R | SF | SF | QF | QF | x | GS | 4th | 2nd | QF | QF | 2nd | GS | QF | GS | 22 |
 Comoros |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | GS | GS | x | – | – | – | – | GS | QF | ––1 | GS | GS | 6 |
| Eswatini[lower-alpha 1] |
1R | 1R | SF | QF | QF | SF | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | GS | GS | 3rd | QF | QF | GS | 3rd | QF | GS | 22 |
| Lesotho |
1R | 1R | QF | 2nd | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | 4th | GS | QF | 4th | 3rd | 4th | GS | GS | 2nd | 22 |
| Madagascar |
– | – | – | –– | – | QF | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 4th | ––1 | x | – | 3rd | GS | GS | 4th | – | ––1 | QF | – | 12 |
| Malawi |
5th | 1R | 2R | QF | SF | 2nd | 2nd | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | QF | x | QF | QF | GS | GS | GS | QF | GS | GS | 4th | 22 |
 Mauritius |
– | – | – | 1R | QF | 1R | 1R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | – | GS | GS | 18 |
| Mozambique |
3rd | 5th | QF | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | SF | 1R | 1R | SF | 2nd | 3rd | x | QF | 2nd | QF | GS | GS | GS | 4th | 4th | GS | 22 |
| Namibia |
2nd | 4th | 2nd | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | QF | QF | x | QF | 1st | QF | QF | QF | GS | GS | 2nd | GS | 22 |
 Seychelles |
– | – | – | –– | – | – | – | – | 1R | 1R | 1R | GS | GS | x | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | GS | – | GS | GS | 13 |
| South Africa |
– | 1R | QF | SF | QF | 1st | QF | 1R | SF | 1R | 1st | 1st | 4th | x | 3rd | QF | 1st | QF | QF | QF | 1st | QF | 3rd | 21 |
| Zambia |
1st | 1st | SF | QF | SF | SF | SF | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 2nd | x | 1st | QF | QF | 2nd | 2nd | 1st | GS | 1st | 1st | 22 |
| Zimbabwe |
1R | 2nd | QF | 1st | 2nd | QF | 1st | SF | 1st | SF | 1R | QF | 1st | x | 2nd | GS | GS | 1st | 1st | 3rd | GS | – | – | 20 |
| Guest Nations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DR Congo* |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4th | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Equatorial Guinea* |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ––1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 0 |
 Ghana* | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | QF | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Kenya* |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | GS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Senegal* |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2nd | 3rd | – | 2 |
| Tanzania* |
4th | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | ––1 | GS | – | 3rd | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
 Uganda* |
– | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | QF | – | – | – | 1 |
| Total | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 0 (14) | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 12 | |
*D.R. Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Senegal are not COSAFA members, but have been invited to participate in the past.
1 Withdrew from tournament.
2 Tournament not played.
COSAFA Cup invitees are included in the table with blue.
| Rank | Team | Part | M | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zambia | 21 | 63 | 32 | 22 | 10 | 93 | 48 | +45 | 117 |
| 2 | Zimbabwe | 20 | 59 | 34 | 17 | 8 | 100 | 49 | +51 | 113 |
| 3 | South Africa | 20 | 55 | 30 | 19 | 6 | 77 | 29 | +48 | 109 |
| 4 | Namibia | 21 | 59 | 23 | 17 | 19 | 76 | 62 | +14 | 86 |
| 5 | Mozambique | 21 | 61 | 19 | 15 | 24 | 59 | 70 | -11 | 75 |
| 6 | Eswatini | 21 | 53 | 20 | 16 | 17 | 65 | 57 | +8 | 73 |
| 7 | Angola | 17 | 43 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 47 | 37 | +10 | 68 |
| 8 | Malawi | 21 | 59 | 16 | 20 | 23 | 61 | 71 | -10 | 68 |
| 9 | Botswana | 21 | 51 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 52 | 50 | +2 | 62 |
| 10 | Lesotho | 21 | 53 | 14 | 15 | 24 | 50 | 74 | -24 | 57 |
| 11 | Madagascar | 12 | 36 | 14 | 8 | 14 | 39 | 38 | +1 | 50 |
| 12 | Mauritius | 18 | 40 | 8 | 8 | 24 | 25 | 57 | -32 | 32 |
| 13 | Comoros | 6 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 28 | -14 | 15 |
| 14 | Seychelles | 13 | 19 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 19 | 64 | -45 | 9 |
| 15 | Senegal | 2 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 13 | 12 | +1 | 13 |
| 16 | Tanzania | 3 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 15 | -5 | 12 |
| 17 | DR Congo | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 18 | Ghana | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 0 |
| 19 | Kenya | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 |
| 20 | Uganda | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 21 | Equatorial Guinea | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Peter Ndlovu of Zimbabwe and Manuel 'Tico-Tico' Bucuane of Mozambique are all-time top goalscorers in the tournament with ten goals each. In 2021 Felix Badenhorst of Eswatini moved into second position with nine goals.[5]
| Year | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Tauya Mrewa Peter Ndlovu Shepherd Muradzikwa Benjamin Nkonjera |
2 |
| 1999 | Betinho |
3 |
| 2000 | Luke Petros Delron Buckley |
2 |
| 2001 | 18 players tied | 1 |
| 2002 | Mfanzile Dlamini Rotson Kilambe Teboho Mokoena Siza Dlamini Patrick Mayo |
2 |
| 2003 | Peter Ndlovu Noel Mwandila Russel Mwafulirwa |
2 |
| 2004 | Peter Ndlovu |
3 |
| 2005 | Collins Mbesuma |
4 |
| 2006 | Fabrice Akwa |
3 |
| 2007 | Paulin Voavy |
3 |
| 2008 | Phillip Zialor |
4 |
| 2009 | Cuthbert Malajila |
4 |
| 2013 | Jerome Ramatlhakwane |
4 |
| 2015 | Sarivahy Vombola |
5 |
| 2016 | Felix Badenhorst |
5 |
| 2017 | Ovidy Karuru |
6 |
| 2018 | Onkabetse Makgantai |
5 |
| 2019 | Gabadinho Mhango Gerald Phiri Jr. Ashley Nazira |
3 |
| 2021 | Sepana Letsoalo |
4 |
| 2022 | Sabelo Ndzinisa |
3 |
- "COSAFA Tournament to continue". The Lusaka Times. 24 March 2008.
- Redvers, Lousie (29 July 2010). "Angola to Host Cosafa Cup in November". BBC News. Archived from the original on 2 August 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
- Muchinjo, Enock (18 October 2010). "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". Daily News. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
- "COSAFA tourney cancelled, hosts blamed". 18 October 2010. Archived from the original on 17 April 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
- "Badenhorst makes Cosafa Cup history". The Namibian. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
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