The development of football in Pakistan is in jeopardy due to the absence of a domestic league since 2019. Recently, however, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), under the leadership of newly elected president Syed Mohsin Gillani, invited individuals and groups to submit their Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Pakistan Football League. With the deadline for submissions now expired, reports claim that multiple parties have submitted their proposals.
Ali Tareen Enters Bid for Pakistan Football League
Former Multan Sultans owner Ali Tareen has surprisingly submitted a proposal for the Pakistan Football League.
According to him, his proposal includes a six-month-long league rather than a short franchise-based tournament of six to eight weeks. The proposed league would feature home-and-away fixtures, equity ownership for teams, and two teams from each city to create local derbies and maintain fan interest. The proposal also includes women’s teams playing earlier on matchdays, similar to the format used in the English cricket tournament, The Hundred.
“I have proposed a season (six-month) long league for Pakistan football, not a flashy, one-month cash-grab tournament.
A proper league with home and away fixtures, equity ownership in the league for the teams, derbies with two clubs per city, and mandatory women’s teams playing…”
GSV and Zabe Khan propose a franchise-based league
Alongside him, two other entities have also submitted their proposals for the Pakistan Football League and are keen on establishing a franchise-based football league similar to the Pakistan Super League (PSL).
These include Global Soccer Venture (GSV), which held a launch event for its football league last year in Lahore and claimed to have sold five out of eight franchises. However, the league was never organized and the project was eventually abandoned.
Zabe Khan, who left GSV last year, has also submitted his proposal for the Pakistan Football League. His proposal includes a franchise league that would run for approximately 45 days.
All bidders are expected to present their proposals to the PFF on December 29, after which the federation will make the decision.
While two of the bidders have proposed a franchise-based model, one bidder has emphasised the need for a six-month-long league, arguing that a longer Pakistan Football League season would better promote the development of football in the country
Pakistan needs a pyramid-based football league system that can keep players engaged for a longer period, rather than a franchise league that runs for only 4 to 6 weeks. Moreover, franchise leagues often feature foreign players who occupy spots intended for local talent. Additionally, Pakistan lacks a strong corporate sector interested in football, which could lead to a shortage of sponsors. This situation is similar to what has happened with the ISL (Indian Super League ), as the league is still without any bidders and continues to face delays.
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