Fredrobie Concept Zambia Limited has countersued the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), seeking K15 million in damages for alleged financial losses linked to the Division One playoffs.
Fredrobie claims that FAZ’s actions disrupted its ability to generate revenue from sponsorship deals and ticket sales.
In addition to monetary compensation, Fredrobie is requesting a court injunction to prevent FAZ from using its business strategy and sponsorship model with any other partners for at least 25 years.
The counterclaim is in response to a lawsuit filed by FAZ last month, in which the association accused Fredrobie of breaching their contract by failing to organize and sponsor the playoffs.
FAZ is demanding K1 million in damages, reimbursement for match official expenses, and the immediate delivery of KoPa-branded football kits.
Fredrobie refuted FAZ’s claim, arguing that the association failed to fulfill its own obligations under the agreement, making it difficult for the agency to execute its contractual duties.
“The late approval of playoff dates by FAZ, which came after May 31, 2024, affected sponsorship negotiations, as potential partners had little time to make financial commitments,” Fredrobie stated in its counterclaim.
The marketing agency also alleged that FAZ’s last-minute refusal to allow all games to be played at Heroes Stadium disrupted its event plans, including scheduled entertainment meant to boost attendance and revenue.
“We had planned a number of entertainment activities at Heroes Stadium to attract more spectators and increase revenue. Despite communicating this to FAZ from the start, they rejected the venue at the last minute, forcing us to change plans and cancel some performances,” Fredrobie claimed.
Fredrobie accused FAZ of being unresponsive, stating that it struggled to coordinate activities due to a lack of communication from the association.
“Being the official organizer of the playoffs, FAZ was expected to respond to emails and WhatsApp messages to provide clear guidance. However, they were unresponsive in many instances,” the agency alleged.
It also claimed that FAZ withheld crucial information regarding KoPa jerseys and match ball pricing.
Fredrobie’s Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Kasiya, claimed that during a phone conversation with FAZ General Secretary Reuben Kamanga, witnessed by project manager Kelvin Ngoma, FAZ had agreed to cover all playoff costs and later discuss a repayment arrangement.
“We were told FAZ would bear all the costs for the playoffs and that we would discuss repayment terms after the event. However, to this day, we have not received an official letter from FAZ indicating how much was spent or how we should repay,” Kasiya said.
“FAZ proceeded to court without engaging in good faith discussions, and we only learned about the lawsuit through media reports before receiving official court documents,” Fredrobie stated.
The agency further claims that FAZ’s public handling of the dispute has harmed its business reputation.
