Women’s World Cup 2023: How Banda overcame gender eligibility row

Despite being named in Zambia’s original Wafcon squad, she was now deemed ineligible after her testosterone levels were adjudged to be naturally overly high.

Fast forward to the Women’s World Cup, which starts on Thursday and where Zambia will face Japan, Spain and Costa Rica, and Banda is all set to play once again.

While her confusion – and many others’ – may be understandable, so too is her delight at being allowed to compete at women’s football’s greatest event, with Australia and New Zealand co-hosting the competition’s first 32-team finals.

“It’s a dream come true,” says a relieved Banda, who watched from the stands in Morocco as her team-mates secured an unprecedented third place, and thus a World Cup berth, at Wafcon.

“Every player dreams of playing at a bigger level, and the World Cup is the highest level of football, so I’m very happy and excited.”