KARACHI — In what could be a breakthrough for Pakistani football, the national men’s team is likely to feature in next year’s FIFA World Series — an opportunity that would see them test their skills against teams from outside Asia for a change.
The potential participation came up for discussion when FIFA President Gianni Infantino met newly-elected Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) chief Mohsen Gilani on the sidelines of the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup in the United States. The meeting, held during the FIFA Executive Football Summit in Miami, was Gilani’s first international engagement since ending years of administrative turmoil at the PFF.
“We touched upon important topics like the development of the women’s team and the men’s side possibly competing in the FIFA Series next year,” Infantino said, as quoted on FIFA’s official website.
Pakistan’s national team has had limited exposure beyond Asian competition for years, hampered by governance crises that saw FIFA impose a Normalisation Committee for six years before elections were finally held this May.
Despite recording a historic first-ever FIFA World Cup qualifier win last year against Cambodia, the team’s progress has been held back by the lack of international friendlies — a point repeatedly raised by head coach Stephen Constantine.
The FIFA World Series could now help bridge that gap. The pilot edition last year featured 24 teams from different continents playing matches that, in most cases, marked their first-ever meetings on the pitch. Cambodia, for example, faced Equatorial Guinea and Guyana, while Mongolia played Azerbaijan and Tanzania.
While Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup have dimmed after consecutive defeats, a run of matches in the World Series could give the squad valuable competitive experience ahead of the 2030 World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking after his discussions with Gilani, Infantino said he was encouraged by the new PFF president’s plans to rebuild the sport in the country. “President Gilani brings strong management experience and a real passion for football. I look forward to seeing progress under his leadership,” he said.
Infantino also met Pakistan’s Interior Minister and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi in Washington earlier this month. Naqvi, in a social media post, said he had invited Infantino to visit Pakistan — an invitation the FIFA boss has accepted in principle.
According to the PFF, Infantino’s visit will be scheduled at a mutually convenient time and will further strengthen cooperation between FIFA and Pakistan as the country looks to lift its football fortunes.
