PFF 2.0 is an evolution from where we are today, to how we become globally competitive. It starts by recognizing that Football is woven throughout our society.
Pakistan Football Federation is the steward of this beautiful game, and this is our promise to bring the focus back to the sport. The building blocks presented here will help guide us in delivering social impact through mainstreaming opportunity, nurturing national pride, and enabling access. Play, for everyone that wants to play. We also recognize that our national teams — men, women, and youth — need our support, both, in terms of opportunity and enablement. We will make that happen.
The key pillars of PFF 2.0 are proven principles that lay the foundation for each subsequent iteration of PFF to build upon. By delivering on the promise of PFF 2.0, we will:
This is an exciting time, that involves change and a lot of hard work. PFF 2.0 is an evolution of PFF to a football-centric organization that is focused on delivering results. An organization that is accountable, transparent, and inclusive in its actions. | look forward to discussing this journey with all stakeholders as we continue to move forward. I know it won’t be easy. I do promise it will be worth it.
Yours in Football,
Haroon Ahmed Malik
The Pakistan Football Federation was created on 5 December 1947, after the independence from Great Britain. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan’s first leader, became PFF’s Patron-in-Chief, and in 1948, PFF became affiliated with FIFA. It was also one of the founding members of the Asian Football Confederation when it was established in 1954 and became a SAFF affiliate in 1997.
The first national championship in Pakistan was organized in 1948 at Karachi. Whereas, Pakistan Football Team made its international debut on a tour to Iran and Iraq in October 1950. Pakistan Football Team’s next international outing came in the Colombo Cup where the team played its first match against India which ended in a goalless draw. During the 50s, Pakistan played internationally in the following Colombo Cup editions which were played in India in 1954, then East Pakistan in 1955, and the Asian Games in the Philippines in 1954 and in Japan in 1958.
In the early 1960s, Pakistan Football Team played and won against teams such as Thailand, Japan, and Burma. In 1965 Pakistan played in the first RDC Cup and finished third. In 1967, Pakistan played a series of friendlies against Saudi Arabia, all ending in draws. Later in the year Pakistan lost their Asian Cup qualifiers against Burma and Khmer and drew their final match against India. Pakistan then hosted the second RDC Cup and finished third. In the early 1970s, the national side’s participation was restricted to the RDC Cup and the 1974 Asian Games, and a single friendly against South Korea in 1978. The most notable result in this period was a 2–2 draw against Turkey.
In the King’s Cup in 1982, Pakistan secured a goalless draw against Indonesia, the team’s first clean sheet since 1962. After a loss to Thailand, they gained a 3–2 victory versus Malaysia and although they lost a close game against China, they were able to win 1–0 in their final game against Singapore. Pakistan hosted a friendly tournament involving Iran, Bangladesh, Oman, and Nepal in 1982. The Green Shirts started off with a 2–1 over Bangladesh. They lost to Iran, but came back and beat Nepal 2–0. The last game against Oman ended nil-nil and Pakistan ended the tournament as runners-up. The national team hosted another tournament in 1985, this time inviting North Korea, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Nepal. A goalless draw against the North Koreans boosted the side, and they beat Nepal 1–0. However, losses in the final two games against Bangladesh and Indonesia meant they were again runners-up. In the South Asian Games, Pakistan ended fourth after losing a penalty shootout to Nepal. In the 1986 Asian Games, Pakistan lost all their games. However, a year later the side was more successful at the South Asian Games, winning the bronze medal match against Bangladesh 1–0. In 1988, they lost all their Asian Cup qualifiers. Pakistan made their first attempt to qualify for the World Cup in 1989. However, they were unable to win any of their matches. The national team bounced back, when several months later they took Gold at the South Asian Games, beating Bangladesh 1–0 in the final.
Pakistan had another early exit in the Asian Games, losing all three games in 1990. In the 1991 South Asian Games, Pakistan beat the Maldives in the final 2–0 to win their second Gold. Later in the year, the first SAFF Cup took place, and the national team finished fourth. Having not enjoyed much success in the following years, Pakistan came third in the 1997 SAFF Cup, thanks to a 1–0 victory over Sri Lanka in the third-place playoff.
2004 saw changes in Pakistan football, with a new administration in place by this time and a new national league up and running. A victory against India in a three-match series, the final match ending 3–0 to the Green Shirts, followed, and they went on the reach the semi-finals of the 2005 SAFF Cup. They lost the semi-final against defending champion Bangladesh by 0–1 margin. Whereas, in the SAF Games Pakistan team won 2 Gold Medals in 2004 and 2006 held in Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively. The Pakistan team played in several tournaments and qualifiers in the 2000s, but was unable to make a mark with the most notable win coming against India in 2014 in a friendly series that Pakistan Football Team won 2-1 on aggregate.
Pakistan Football Federation faced a suspension from FIFA after a controversial election and regime change. The suspension was lifted by FIFA in 2018. FIFA also put in place a Normalization Committee with the task to hold elections and help bring Pakistani Football back on track.