FIFA Suspends Pakistan Football Federation Again Over Constitutional Dispute
The FIFA has once again suspended the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) after its Congress refused to adopt constitutional amendments recommended by the global football authority.
As a result, Pakistan has been immediately disqualified from international competitions, and financial support from FIFA has been halted.
According to FIFA’s statement, the suspension was enforced due to the PFF’s failure to implement revisions ensuring transparent and democratic elections. The governing body emphasized that these changes were crucial for fulfilling the federation’s obligations under the ongoing normalization process.
“The suspension will only be lifted once the PFF Congress approves the version of the PFF Constitution proposed by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC),” the statement read.
FIFA and the AFC had previously suggested amendments, particularly to the electoral process. However, the PFF Congress rejected the proposals, leading to the latest sanctions.
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Repeated Suspensions and Governance Issues
This is not the first time FIFA has taken disciplinary action against the PFF. In April 2021, the governing body suspended Pakistan due to third-party interference, citing violations of FIFA statutes. That suspension remained in effect until June 2022, when the Normalisation Committee regained control over PFF’s offices and financial matters.
Despite FIFA’s efforts to improve governance, challenges persisted. FIFA recently increased its push for constitutional amendments to ensure fair elections and better governance. However, resistance from the PFF Congress resulted in the latest suspension.
The consequences of this decision are severe: Pakistan’s national teams can no longer participate in international football, and FIFA has cut off financial and technical assistance.
Warning Issued Before Suspension
Earlier, PFF Normalisation Committee Chairman Haroon Malik had warned that FIFA could impose a conditional suspension on Pakistan due to an ongoing deadlock between the international body and the newly elected PFF Congress.
While addressing the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Inter-Provincial Coordination, Malik stated that Pakistan risked losing international football participation and financial support from FIFA.
“FIFA wants amendments to the PFF Constitution to align it with international standards. However, most newly elected Congress members did not agree to these proposals,” Malik explained.
He also briefed the committee on the PFF electoral process, outlining that elections were conducted from district level upwards, with Congress members now overseeing the next phase.
Despite governance challenges, Pakistan made history by participating in the 2023 Olympic qualifiers and advancing to the second round. The committee acknowledged the PFF’s efforts in promoting football at the Olympic level.
