Islamabad, Mar 12 2025: Pakistan’s absence from the upcoming South Asian Junior Soccer Championship in India has once again highlighted the struggles of the Pakistan Football Federation Normalization Committee (PFF NC).
The tournament, scheduled for May, will feature six South Asian teams—India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, and Bangladesh—but the name of Pakistan is notably missing.
This marks the seventh time in the past year that Pakistan has failed to send teams for international events, including five men’s and two women’s competitions.
Among the missed tournaments are the AFC Women’s U19 Championship (Bangladesh), SAFF Women’s U16 Championship (Nepal), AFC Men’s U17 and U20 Championships, SAFF Men’s U20 Championship (Nepal),
AFC Women’s Futsal Qualifiers (Indonesia), and the SAFF U19 Championship (India).
When questioned about the repeated failures, a PFF NC official initially cited the involvement of FIFA but later clarified that administrative challenges were behind the absence.
The official response stated that the participation of U19 team was deprioritized due to the PFF elections, and the short-term extensions and subsequent suspension of the NC made it difficult to meet tournament deadlines.
This recurring issue has raised concerns about the international standing of Pakistan football, with fans and analysts questioning the ability of management to revive the sport.
Pakistan’s Missed Football Tournaments (Past Year)
| Tournament | Location | Category |
|---|---|---|
| AFC Women’s U19 Championship | Bangladesh | Women’s |
| SAFF Women’s U16 Championship | Nepal | Women’s |
| AFC Men’s U17 Championship | – | Men’s |
| AFC Men’s U20 Championship | – | Men’s |
| SAFF Men’s U20 Championship | Nepal | Men’s |
| AFC Women’s Futsal Qualifiers | Indonesia | Women’s |
| SAFF U19 Championship | India | Men’s |
