FIFA suspends Pakistan Football Federation

Dubai: The International Football Federation (FIFA) has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after it failed to amend its constitution as required for fair and transparent governance of the sport in the country.

FIFA announced the suspension on Thursday, citing the PFF Congress’s refusal to adopt the proposed constitutional changes. This marks the third time FIFA has suspended the PFF since 2017.

“The PFF has been suspended with immediate effect due to its failure to revise its constitution, ensuring truly fair and democratic elections as mandated by FIFA in the ongoing normalisation process,” the global football body stated.

The suspension will remain in place until the PFF Congress approves FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) proposed amendments.

 According to media reports, Haroon Malik, head of FIFA’s appointed PFF Normalisation Committee, recently warned a parliamentary panel that Pakistan risked suspension if constitutional amendments were not adopted by February 15, his final day in office. He clarified that implementing the changes would not make him a candidate in the PFF elections.

Last month, the PFF Congress rejected the proposed amendments, primarily over presidential eligibility rules. FIFA had set February 15 as the election deadline, but the deadlock stalled the process.

In an effort to resolve the deadlock, Malik has engaged with PFF Congress members for discussions. Pakistan’s football governance has been in crisis since 2015, with this being its third FIFA suspension since 2017.

The ban will remain in place until the PFF Congress approves the amendments proposed by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).