FIFA has once again suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after the PFF Congress refused to implement constitutional amendments proposed by the global football governing body.
As a result, Pakistan has been immediately barred from participating in international football events, and FIFA has halted its financial support to the PFF.
According to FIFA’s official statement, the suspension was enforced due to the PFF’s failure to adopt necessary revisions aimed at ensuring a transparent and democratic electoral process. FIFA emphasized that these amendments were crucial for fulfilling the federation’s responsibilities under the ongoing normalisation efforts.
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“The suspension will only be lifted once the PFF Congress approves the version of the PFF Constitution put forward by FIFA and the AFC,” the statement confirmed.
Previously, FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had recommended changes to the PFF Constitution, particularly concerning the election process. However, PFF Congress rejected these proposals, leading to the latest disciplinary action.
This is not the first time FIFA has taken action against the PFF. In April 2021, FIFA suspended the federation due to external interference, citing violations of its regulations. That suspension remained in effect until June 2022, when FIFA reinstated the PFF after confirming that the Normalisation Committee had regained control over operations and finances.
Despite previous interventions, governance challenges persisted. FIFA had recently intensified its efforts to push for constitutional amendments to ensure a fair electoral system and proper governance. However, resistance from the PFF Congress resulted in another sanction.
The suspension has major consequences, as Pakistan’s national teams can no longer compete in international events until the dispute is resolved. Furthermore, FIFA has discontinued both financial aid and technical support to the PFF.
Earlier, PFF Normalisation Committee Chairman Haroon Malik warned that FIFA might impose a “conditional” suspension due to an impasse between the global football body and the newly elected PFF Congress.
During a briefing to the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, Malik stated that Pakistan risked losing its participation in international football and access to FIFA’s funding.
“FIFA seeks amendments to the PFF Constitution to align it with international standards. However, the majority of the newly elected PFF Congress members have opposed these changes,” Malik explained.
He further detailed the electoral process within the PFF, highlighting that elections had been held at the district level, with Congress members now responsible for overseeing the next phase.
Malik also mentioned that, for the first time, Pakistan had participated in the 2023 Olympic qualifiers and successfully advanced to the second round. The committee acknowledged the PFF’s efforts in promoting football at the Olympic level.
