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LAHORE: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has launched a sweeping nationwide roadmap to rebuild the country’s domestic football ecosystem through structured district championships, youth tournaments and modernized provincial governance.
The comprehensive plan, unveiled to reporters on Monday by PFF Chief Operating Officer Shahid Niaz Khokhar was finalized after intense consultations with the country’s four provincial bodies, regional associations and local stakeholders. Rebuilding from the roots at the core of the strategy is the revitalization of local competition, which the federation identifies as the baseline for international success.
“Strong national teams are built on strong grassroots structures,” Khokhar said during the briefing, which was joined virtually by provincial and regional football chiefs from across Pakistan.
“District football is the foundation of the football pyramid. If we want to develop quality players for the future, we must ensure regular and organized football activity at the district level.
“The newly designed District Football Championships (DFCs) are engineered to serve a dual purpose: unearthing raw talent and auditing the local game.
The official stated the tournament will verify constitutionally valid clubs, effectively weeding out inactive or “ghost” entities that have historically plagued local sports administration. To support the initiative, Pakistan Football Referees Association (PFRA) is compiling a centralized database of certified match officials to oversee the matches.
The roadmap introduces a stricter administrative framework for provincial and regional associations, driven by the appointment of dedicated, professional General Secretaries. Under the new process, local associations will submit a shortlist of three candidates. The final selections will be vetted through joint interviews conducted by the PFF and the respective regional association presidents. Funding for these administrative salaries has been secured externally from global and regional governing bodies FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), following negotiations led by PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani.
“The future of football in Pakistan depends on strong structures, good governance and consistent football activity,” Gilani said in a statement, adding that the body would “leave no stone unturned” to modernize domestic operations.
The federation also formalized its youth development pathway, announcing details for the National U-17 Championship tentatively scheduled for September and October in Islamabad. The tournament will feature two teams from each provincial association and one from each regional association, alongside eligible departmental players. Strict age controls will limit participation to players born between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012. In a shift toward modern player welfare standards the PFF will mandate that all participating squads—comprising 23 players and five officials appoint a dedicated safeguarding officer.
The PFF will fully cover travel and participation costs for the youth tournament, which will serve as the official selection trials for Pakistan’s squad ahead of the upcoming AFC U-17 qualifiers.
