The FIFA once again suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after the PFF Congress refused to implement constitutional amendments recommended by the global football governing body.
The decision resulted in Pakistan’s immediate exclusion from international competitions and halted financial assistance from FIFA.
According to a statement issued by FIFA, the suspension was imposed due to the PFF’s failure to adopt revisions that would ensure transparent and democratic elections. FIFA stated that the constitutional changes were necessary to fulfil the federation’s obligations under the ongoing normalisation process.
“The suspension will only be lifted subject to the PFF Congress approving the version of the PFF Constitution presented by FIFA and the AFC,” FIFA’s statement declared.
FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had previously recommended amendments to the PFF Constitution, particularly regarding the electoral process. However, the PFF Congress rejected the proposed revisions, resulting in the latest sanction.
This was not the first instance of FIFA taking action against the PFF. In April 2021, the governing body suspended the federation due to undue third-party interference, citing violations of FIFA statutes. The suspension lasted until June 2022, when FIFA reinstated the PFF after confirming that the Normalisation Committee had regained control of its offices and finances.
Despite previous efforts, governance challenges persisted. FIFA had recently intensified its push for constitutional amendments to establish fair elections and ensure proper governance within the PFF. However, resistance from the PFF Congress led to the latest disciplinary action.
The implications of the suspension were significant, as Pakistan’s teams were barred from international football until the dispute was resolved. Additionally, FIFA ceased financial and technical support to the PFF.
Earlier, PFF Normalisation Committee Chairman Haroon Malik warned that FIFA could “conditionally” suspend Pakistan due to a deadlock between the global body and the newly elected PFF Congress.
While briefing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, Malik stated that Pakistan would lose its international football participation and access to FIFA’s financial assistance.
“FIFA wants to make some amendments to the PFF Constitution to bring it in line with international standards. In the recent efforts, the majority of the newly elected PFF Congress members have not agreed to FIFA’s proposals,” Malik said.
The chairman also briefed the committee on the electoral process within the PFF, explaining that elections had been conducted from the district level upwards, with Congress members now overseeing the next phase.
Malik highlighted that, for the first time, the PFF had participated in the 2023 Olympic qualifiers and progressed to the second round. The committee acknowledged the federation’s efforts in promoting football at the Olympic level.
