KARACHI: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has signed a deal with Global Soccer Ventures (GSV) to kick off a franchise league called – The Pakistan Football League (PFL) and upgrade the infrastructure for the sport in the country.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday, apart from delivering Pakistan’s first domestic inter-city franchise league, the new venture would also entail the construction of a state-of-the-art “flagship” stadium in Karachi. Furthermore, the league would collaborate with top European football clubs.
“It has been over 70 years where Pakistan has seen no development in football and this collaboration ensures funds are injected into Pakistan for the right reasons and for Pakistani football players so the nation can get its domestic football in order first,” the statement added.
The statement further said, “PFF has placed players at the heart of everything. PFL will help rebuild football in Pakistan by developing new generation of players. It is designed to create a new football ecosystem to place Pakistan’s players in top priority.”
Ashfaq Shah, President of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said, “It is about time we take control to secure the future of Pakistan’s players. I want to save football and am proud to partner with GSV who have created a groundbreaking vision for Pakistan.”
“It is my mission to make football recognized in Pakistan as a professional sport and give it the professional impetus to cultivate our national talent and help them compete at an international level on our own soil,” he added.
GSV CEO Zabe Khan, meanwhile, said that there was “nothing” that could prevent a revival of football in Pakistan. His strategy, he said, offered a solution through a combination of “infrastructure, international collaboration and a sensational league”.
GSV Chief Operating Officer Mike Farnan said that Pakistan was a “sleeping giant” with tremendous potential for football. To unveil the full scale of the plans, a groundbreaking announcement will be made by GSV in coming weeks.
