FAZ General Secretary Charles Chakatazya said the decision was reached in the interest of both parties after a meeting with Hauptle’s representatives.
A statement from FAZ confirmed: “The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) wishes to inform its members and stakeholders that it has mutually separated with Copper Queens coach Nora Hauptle.”
Haalubono takes charge of Zambia
The statement added: “FAZ can confirm that it has reached a mutual separation agreement with its senior coach, Nora Hauptle.
After a meeting between FAZ and Hauptle’s representatives, it was agreed that in the interest of progress for both parties they had to separate.
“We would like to sincerely thank Hauptle for her contribution to the Zambian game and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”
Chakatazya added that assistant coach Charles Haalubono will take charge of the team in an interim capacity.
“Considering that we have assignments coming up in the next few weeks, we will allow the assistant coach Charles Haalubono to head the team. FAZ will in due course announce long-term arrangements,” said Chakatazya.
Hauptle was appointed Copper Queens coach on January 24th, 2025, on a three-year contract, replacing the late Bruce Mwape, who had been in charge since 2018.
In 2023, the Ghana Football Association announced the appointment of Hauptle as the manager of the Ghana women’s national team, replacing Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo, who had been in charge since 2019.
Her immediate task was to take the team through the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) qualifiers and qualify them for the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, along with winning the 2023 WAFU Zone B Women's Cup.
In her playing career, Hauptle played as a defender and started out at St. Gallen before moving on to play for BSC YB Frauen and FFC Zuchwil 05, all in Switzerland.
She later moved to the Netherlands to play for FC Twente Enschede. Returning to Switzerland, she joined FC Rot-Schwarz Thun and subsequently started her coaching career with the U14-U15 boys' teams.
Hauptle went into coaching in her final season at FC Thun. She was assigned as the coach for the U-14 and U-15 boys' teams and an athletic coach for the U-12 to U-18 boys' teams from 2009 to 2012.
At the same time, she studied sports and theatre studies at the University of Bern. She then worked as a conditioning coach for tennis player Romina Oprandi. Hauptle has also been working as a pundit for SRF zwei.
