Pictures from the Tour


5 July

The Chiparamba Great Eagles has landed at Fårö after a 49 hrs journey from Lusaka, Zambia. After their arrival an evening meeting was arranged with the staff were the schedule for the intense week was discussed. From left to right: Nowell Phiri, Klas Björkhagen, Tembo Mabvuto & Moses Banda.


6 July

Dark rain clouds met everybody at the Sundersand Football Field at the opening off the Football Academy. The Chiparamba players made a memorable entry, singing and dancing, drawing big applaus from everybody around the field, players as well as all the parents.


Host for the Acadamy is Tomas Bodström, former Minister of Justice for Sweden. Next to Tomas are the Chiparamba coaches and leaders, Tembo Mabvuto, Nowell Phiri och Moses Banda, who express their appreciations to Tomas for inviting them to the Academy at Fårö. This a most welcome preparation for the important Gothia Cup tournament next week in Gothenburg.


7 July

The 17 Chiparamba players will practice twice every day at the Sudersands football field. During the first practice session the Chipa players will be coached by the instructors from the Fårö Football Academy. Coach Nowell Phiri likes the different drills that will improve the players coordination. Back in Lusaka, the team is more used to the free flowing drills with the ball which differs a great deal from the more organized and structured drills used in Sweden.


The 14 year old Chiparamba players have never been outside Zambia. They have travelled by airplane 10 000 km straight north, travelled by night bus for 450 km from Gothenburg to Oskarshamn, travelled by ferry over the Baltic Sea and finally experienced the beautiful island of Fårö. The team is catching their breaths between practices and a good lunch at the Fårö Badrestaurant.


8 July

Each day the Chipa-boys buss drives them back and fourth to the soccer training between the Fårö Youth Hostel  and Sudersand. Sometimes they relax like on the picture above, but often their Zambian songs echo between oak tree and Gotland’s cottages as they travel between the different training locations.


Thomas  Bodström held a very appreciated speech concerning the importance education and of not only focusing on football. To have an education after a soccer career is very important, especially in Zambia that’s one of the worlds poorest countries. Thomas told that he himself studied during the many journeys with AIK at the end of the 80’s, that resulted in him becoming Sweden’s Minister of Justice within 6 years.


That evening, Chiparamba played against a combination team from Fårö, consisting of both senior and junior players. As a result of the Fårö coach – Thomas Bodström – realizing the skill level of the Chipa players, a few senior players from the 4th and 5th division in Sweden got called in to strengthening the Fårö team.


As the rain was pouring down on the field in Sudersand, Chiparamba beat the Fårö team, 4-1. The more than tired Swedish players were very impressed by how skillfull, fast and the accurate passing came displayed by the Chipa players.


9 July

The U21 Swedish National coach, Tommy Söderberg, arrives at Fårö football academy where he spends the first practice of the day to study the Chipa players. Tommy was very impressed with their ball handling skills.


The Chiparamba team with their four Swedish practice team members, joined by the Swedish National Team doctor Anders Valentin, Chiparamba board members Kent Sander and Klas Björkhagen and former Minister of Justice Thomas Bodström, to the right.


In the afternoon, Tommy Söderberg conducted a much appreciated practice session. The practice was held at the Kappelshamn’s soccerfield in rain and high winds. Tommy’s presence and high energy resulted in high intensity and quality 1.5 hours of practice drills.


10 July

Friday and closing ceremony of the Fårö Football Academy. All players that participated during the week received a t-shirt from Tommy Söderberg and Chiparamba’s coach Nowell Phiri.


All members of the academy that participated during the week in all kinds of different weather at Sudersands football field.


Heading towards Fårösunds Fortress, the bus made a stop so the players could experience the Baltic Ocean and Fårö’s unique nature.


At the Fårösunds carferry, the Chiparamba players started a spontaneous dance between the cars and trailers, to everybody’s amusement.


During more than an hour, Tommy Söderberg conducted a lecture and presentation at Fårösund’s fortress to the Chipa team about the Swedish U21-National Team’s preparation for the U21 European Championship tournament, that was held in Sweden a few weeks ago. Sweden who played a very good offensive game, were beat by England in the semi final 8-7, after penalty shoots.


Chiparamba’s coach Nowell Phiri finished the session by presenting Chipa’s game philosophy and team values that guides the culture at Chiparamba Football Academy.




At  17.30, the kick-off at Kappelshamns IP for the friendly game between Chiparamba Great Eagles (p14) and FC Gute (p15). Aprox 200 spectators had come to this wonderfully located arena, a stones throw from the sea in the northwest part of Gotland.


A former Minister of Justice and a former Head coach for the National Team in a happy discussion.


A strong bench for the Chipa team against FC Gute; Stefan Söderberg (former team manager for AIK, Anders Valentin (team doctor for the National Team), Carl Björkhagen, Magnus Forssblad (team doctor for the National Team), Mikael Santoft (next Secretary General for the Swedish Football Association), Tommy Söderberg (Head coach for the U21 team), Thomas Bodström (former first division player with AIK), Moses Banda (assistant coach Chiparamba).




During the break between first and second half, Chiparamba leading 3-0, the well known band Stig-Helmertz Experience entertained the crowd with some of their more popular songs.


This picture shows the team leaders for the Chiparamba Great Eagles and FC Gute.


Chiparamba Foundations Chairman Kent Sander thanked the players for a fair and well played game, which Chiparamba won with a decisive 8-0.


Anders Valentin selected Kekelani Banda as the player of the game for Chiparamba.


That night, a great closing festivity was held at Fårö Strandbad with Stig-Helmertz Band entertaining. The band was joined by the Chipa players onstage, to the amusement of the crowd, for a Zambian song and dance act.


11 July

Early Saturday morning, the bus left Fårö Kursgård for an 8 hour trip to Göteborg and the Gothia Cup tournament.