Pakistan’s women’s team is set to achieve a historic milestone this month as they take part in the FIFA Series 2026 in Ivory Coast. This will be the first time the senior women’s side represents the country in a tournament organized by FIFA. The squad will leave for the West African nation on Monday following an intensive training camp in Lahore.
Match Schedule
All fixtures will be played at Stade Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan.
- 9 April – vs Turks and Caicos Islands – 9:00 PM (PKT)
- 12 April – vs Mauritania – 9:00 PM (PKT)
- 16 April – vs Ivory Coast (Hosts) – 12:30 AM (17 April PKT)
Tournament Overview
Pakistan Women Team is in the Ivory Coast group with the hosts, Mauritania from CAF, and the Turks and Caicos Islands from CONCACAF. FIFA is using the competition as a test run to let national teams from different confederations compete against each other in an organized international window. This will give them important exposure on the world stage. FIFA+ is expected to stream the games live. Adeel Rizki, the head coach, will be in charge of the team during the whole competition
A Press Conference was held on Sunday before the team departure on Monday. In the Press Conference the coach and the captain share their thoughts on how this FIFA Series will help Pakistan Women’s Team. Answering a question regarding diaspora vs local debate, Adeel Rizki and Maria Khan both emphasized on the importance of both.
Maria Khan said “We don’t see local or diaspora, we only see ourselves as a group of players who are willing to represent Pakistan. Some of our players will join us late as they are playing for professional clubs in professional leagues which is a good sign for us.”
Answering a question regarding defeating higher ranked teams in AFC Women Asian Cup Qualifiers Maria Khan said “ We don’t look at the rankings of our opponent. We are a resilient group of players and we try to defeat our opponents without thinking about their rankings.”
Adeel Rizki on what the logical 5 year plan should be said that “ We are trying to be competitive in South Asia. Our short term plan is to be the best in SAFF and then look to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup. We were second this time but we will try harder next time to qualify for the Asian Cup.”
Adeel Rizki on some players being dropped said “ It’s one of the most challenging things as a coach to select players. People compare diaspora players and local players but for us that’s nothing. I look at the characteristics and characters of players and see if they are fit for us or not. Some of our players are in schools and schedules are different because of which they couldn’t join us”.
Forward Nadia Khan thanked Mohsen Gilani, president of the Pakistan Football Federation, for making it possible for the team to play. She stressed that playing at this level would be a great way for the players to learn.
Nadia said in a statement from PFF on Saturday, “I want to say a big thank you from our team to PFF president Mohsen Gilani for making it possible for the team to play in the FIFA Series.”
“It’s one thing to say different things, but it’s another to do them and follow through. It’s amazing that we can play at this level and get this much exposure.”
Zeeyana Jivraj, the goalkeeper, said that being chosen by FIFA for the event was a big deal for the team, especially since they didn’t have much time to prepare in the past.
The goalkeeper said, “FIFA choosing us to play in the FIFA series is a really big deal for us.”
“It’s always hard for us because we don’t get to spend much time together as a team. This time, though, it’s been nice to have a few weeks of training before we go play in the Ivory Coast. Hopefully, that will help us work together as a team so we can perform.”
Midfielder Sanah Mehdi also told fans to stay involved and follow the team’s progress during the tournament.
Pakistan Women’s Squad for FIFA Series 2026
The Pakistan Football Federation has named a 22-player squad featuring a blend of local and overseas-based talent for this landmark event.
Goalkeepers:
Zeeyana Jivraj, Nisha Ashraf, Arzoo Hazara
Defenders:
Maria Khan (C), Isra Khan, Anaya Ahmad, Anmol Hira, Kayla Siddiqui, Karissa Jivraj, Alia Sadiq, Nizalia Siddiqi
Midfielders:
Suha Hirani, Rameen Fareed, Layla Banaras, Sanah Mehdi, Zehmena Malik
Forwards:
Nadia Khan, Mariam Mahmood, Aqsa Mushtaq, Aiman Altaf, Maryam Zehri, Azwa Chaudhry
