FIFA vice president visits Pakistan to support football growth

FIFA Senior Vice President and Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa is on a visit to Pakistan until 7 Novemeber. He has promised to bolster the country’s football infrastructure, signalling to revitalise the sport in the country. 

The visit includes meetings with the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Senator Rana Sanaullah Khan as well as with senior civil and military leadership to discuss the development programmes and support mechanisms for the respective sport. 

During his trip to Lahore and Islamabad, Sheikh Salman showed confidence in Pakistan’s football potential. “I was pleased to be making this trip to Pakistan; the country has the resources to enable it to develop and progress” he stated at the PFF headquarter in Lahore. 

Sheikh Salman also emphasised that his organisation is committed to providing every means of support possible to the federation just as it is supporting other football federations across Asia. 

In addition to this, Pakistan’s football authorities took his visit as need of the hour, given the ongoing work of the PFF Normalisation Committee to resolve leadership and governance issues it was facing. 

The AFC president met with the PFF executives and went through programmes covering women’s football, youth leagues, coaching developments and infrastructure upgrades.

His visit also coincided with regional meetings of the South Asian Football Federation where he put emphasis on South Asia’s growing role in continental football. 

While the exact financial dealings are not publicly revealed, this visit is observed as a sign of a stronger AFC-Pakistan ties and increasing international attention on Pakistan’s football revival.

Pakistan sports officials hope that this engagement will result in more funding, training opportunities and international gear for the game. With Pakistan’s football federation facing long term governance and resource challenges, the AFC’s support could provide a much needed push.

Outcome of this visit will be measured by how quickly tangible projects and programmes begin, such as youth academies, upgraded stadiums and women’s football leagues, as Pakistan aims to parallel with the continental standards in this sport.