FIFA suspends Pakistan Football Federation for the third time since 2017

The International Football Federation (FIFA) has suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after it failed to make amendments to its constitution which the world body deemed necessary for smooth and just governance of the sport in the country.

The world body said Pakistan would remain suspended until the PFF congress made those amendments.

Pakistan football has been run by a FIFA appointed Normalisation Committee since June 2019 which was tasked with holding elections and cleaning up parallel groupings in the football set-up but it has failed to execute these plans properly.

The Normalisation Committee heads and members have changed in the last five but the core issues in the sport in Pakistan still remain. 

 

The Normalisation Committee has been at loggerheads with the state-run Pakistan Sports Board which has caused a hold up in the amendments.

Earlier this week, the PFF Normalisation Committee chairman Haroon Malik had warned a parliamentary panel that February 15 will be the last day of his tenure and Pakistan risked suspension if it didn't implement the constitutional amendments.

Malik also made it clear that making the amendments didn't mean that he will become a potential candidate in the elections of the country's football governing body.

Malik said the PFF Congress was not willing to make the amendments as directed by FIFA leading to a stand-off.

This is Pakistan Football Federation's third suspension since 2017.