Football in Pakistan is in deep crisis following FIFA’s recent suspension of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), marking the third ban in the last eight years. The decision comes after the PFF failed to pass constitutional amendments demanded by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) at its congress, necessary to ensure fair and democratic elections.

ATTEMPTS TO REVIVE PAKISTANI FOOTBALL

Last June, former football stars such as Michael Owen and Emile Heskey visited Pakistan to promote the Pakistan Football League, a franchise-based tournament that was expected to kick off in November 2024. However, the league never materialized and instead, Pakistani football once again faces the uncertainty of not being under the international umbrella of FIFA and AFC.

Reaction to the project was mixed: while some fans were enthusiastic about the prospect of a professional league, others pointed to the need to first establish an organized national league and a solid pyramid structure before embarking on new initiatives.

A HISTORY OF BANS

Pakistan has previously been sanctioned by FIFA twice: in 2017, when interference by the Lahore High Court in the administration of the PFF led to a five-month ban, and in 2021, when former federation officials seized the body’s headquarters in a dispute with the FIFA-imposed Normalization Committee. That suspension lasted more than a year.

Now, in 2025, FIFA’s new suspension comes at a time when Pakistani football seemed to have taken a step forward. In October 2023, under the leadership of coach Stephen Constantine, the national team achieved a historic victory against Cambodia, qualifying for the second round of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time.

IMPACT AND FUTURE OF FOOTBALL IN PAKISTAN

The suspension means that, if not lifted by March 4, Pakistan will be eliminated from the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, where they were due to face Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar. Although qualification for the finals in Saudi Arabia was unlikely for a team ranked 198th in the FIFA rankings, the chance to play competitive matches represented an important step in the team’s development.

Constantine, whose contract as coach ended in November, lamented the new suspension: “It’s a devastating blow. The only thing to do is to think about what is best for Pakistani football and act accordingly.” He also urged officials to put aside their personal interests and comply with FIFA regulations to avoid further sanctions.

As uncertainty persists, Pakistani football is once again on hold, with players, coaches and fans waiting for the crisis to be resolved and football activity to be restored in the country.