Pakistan plans to launch club-based football league

KARACHI: Pakistan is planning to launch a new professional, club-based football league designed around local needs rather than replicating foreign franchise models, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Mohsen Gillani said, outlining an ambitious roadmap to revive the sport after years of disruption.

Gillani said the proposed league would be commercial in nature and features teams from across the country, but would not follow the franchise template of the Pakistan Super League or India’s Indian Super League.

“This will neither be PSL-style nor ISL-style. It will be PFF-style,” Gillani said, adding that the competition would be structured on club foundations to ensure long-term sustainability and grassroots development.

Gillani said the federation’s immediate focus remains on strengthening the national men’s and women’s teams, alongside improving infrastructure and governance.

“Our entire focus is on improving the national teams,” he said. “We now have an experienced coach, something Pakistan has not had before, and we must benefit from his experience.”

Pakistan recently appointed former Peru international Norberto Solano as head coach. Gillani said Solano would soon hold a national training camp to prepare for the upcoming fixture against Myanmar, although Ramadan had made it difficult to arrange preparatory friendlies.

“We played well against Afghanistan, who were higher ranked than us. Myanmar are at a similar level to us, and we believe we can win that match,” Gillani said.

He stressed that team selection would remain solely the coach’s prerogative. “It is not the job of the PFF president to decide who plays. We have appointed a coach, and whoever he believes is best will represent Pakistan. The federation will fully support him.”

Gillani also highlighted steps being taken to improve football infrastructure, including the installation of mini-pitches across the country. Two new pitches have already been completed, he said, adding that the president of Fifa is expected to visit Pakistan soon.

He said his prior relationships within Fifa and with other football federations had helped ease administrative challenges for the PFF, enabling cooperation in training players, coaches and referees.

Pakistan’s football activities were suspended for nearly a decade due to internal disputes and Fifa interventions. On regional engagement, Gillani said Pakistan and India had recently competed in SAFF futsal in Thailand in a positive atmosphere and that football could serve as a bridge between the two neighbours.

He confirmed discussions with the government regarding participation in the SAFF Championship. “We want to use football to project a positive image of Pakistan globally,” he said.

Gillani also addressed the debate over overseas-based players, saying the distinction between diaspora and locally based footballers must end. “If a player is eligible to represent Pakistan, then he is a Pakistani footballer. If FIFA declares him eligible and the coach considers him suitable, he will play for Pakistan,” he said. “If tomorrow our players go abroad to play, do they become foreigners?”

Replying to a question, Gillani said tangible performance improvement could be expected within two years, pointing to the progress of the under-17 side as a sign of a strengthening pipeline.

“When you perform well at the youth level, it reflects at the senior level within a couple of years,” he said, adding that women’s football had delivered encouraging results in recent months. “We are hopeful that in two years, Pakistan football will be on the rise, especially women’s football,” Gillani said. Monitoring Desk