The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) lifted its suspension on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), marking a turning point for the sport in the country.
The decision, announced by the Bureau of the FIFA Council, follows the PFF Congress’s approval of FIFA-proposed constitutional amendments during an Extraordinary Congress session in Lahore last week.
The amendments aim to ensure transparency and fairness in the PFF’s election process—a core demand from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). “The Bureau of the FIFA Council decided to lift the suspension imposed on the PFF,” FIFA stated, restoring the federation’s full membership rights. Shahid Khokhar, a PFF Normalisation Committee member, hailed it as “a positive step for Pakistan football.”
With the ban lifted, the Pakistan Football Federation can resume international activities. This includes preparing for the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, with a crucial match against Syria looming later this month. Representative and club teams from Pakistan are now eligible to compete globally, ending a period of isolation due to governance woes.
A History of Suspensions
FIFA has repeatedly suspended the PFF over governance issues and third-party interference:
- October 2017: Suspension was imposed and lifted in March 2018.
- April 2021: Another ban was resolved in June 2022 after the Normalisation Committee took charge.
- February 6, 2025: The latest suspension, triggered by delays in adopting electoral reforms, now lifted with the March 2 decision.
