In an unexpected development, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) is preparing to dispatch a football team to Russia for a friendly match this month. This decision follows failed discussions between the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and the Russian Football Union regarding an official fixture. It’s worth noting that the PSB has a history of complicating matters when it comes to issuing “No Objection Certificates” for Pakistan’s football teams traveling abroad.
The PSB claims it is assembling the team using what it calls “available resources.” This raises immediate questions: Why is the PSB taking the lead in sending a football team to Russia? What role is the PFF playing in this arrangement?
Recently, it was reported that the Russian Football Federation had approached the PFF with an invitation to play a friendly match on October 11, 2024. The PFF declined the invitation, citing insufficient time for preparation and requested to reschedule for November. This proposal was not agreed upon by both federations. A source from the PFF revealed to Geo News, “We communicated our position to the Russian Football Union, and discussions were paused from that point.”
This is where the PSB interjected. A senior PSB official confirmed to this publication that Pakistan intends to accept the invitation from the Russian government for the scheduled match on October 11.
“The invitation, issued by Russia’s Minister of Sport, was conveyed through diplomatic channels, formally requesting Pakistan’s participation in the friendly game to enhance the bilateral relations between our two countries,” the PSB official stated.
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In addition, media reports indicate that Sheikh Rehan, the newly-elected president of the Islamabad Football Association (IFA), sent an email to the PFF regarding the PSB’s proposal and sought approval for the IFA’s participation. It is important to note that the IFA and its affiliated clubs are registered with the PFF and are obliged to seek approval for such matches.
As of now, no decision has been reached concerning the IFA’s request. However, a source from the PFF emphasized that any team traveling to Russia under the PSB’s initiative cannot be officially recognized as Pakistan’s national football team.
The ambiguity remains regarding whether the PSB’s team will compete against Russia’s national side or another squad altogether.
Footballer.pk’s Take
From Footballer.pk‘s perspective, the responsibility of sending football teams abroad should lie with the PFF, the FIFA-recognized governing body for football in Pakistan. Regrettably, the PFF’s National Committee, led by Haroon Malik, has shown a lack of seriousness regarding international friendlies, having failed to arrange even one throughout 2024. This raises significant questions about the PFF-NC’s credibility and the efficacy of its operations.
Update
As of 10. October 2024, the Russian Federation officially canceled the Friendlies Invitation for Pakistan.