Sports Bulletin

Islamabad (Sports Reporter): The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has announced that the PFF U-17 Championship 2026 will be held in Islamabad from 23 September to 4 October 2026.The championship will bring together provincial and regional teams from across Pakistan, providing young players with an opportunity to compete at the national level and gain valuable competitive experience.Each participating team will comprise 23 players and five officials.The championship forms part of the PFF’s ongoing efforts to revive and strengthen domestic football, expand opportunities for young players, and build a stronger pathway for youth development across Pakistan.The PFF will bear all expenses related to the participation of the teams, as well as the other costs associated with organising the championship.

Islamabad (Sports Reporter): The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has announced a 23-member Pakistan national team squad for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 in Indonesia.The squad brings together players travelling from Pakistan as well as members of the national team based abroad.Head coach Nolberto Solano will lead the Shaheens as they compete in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup, which brings together teams from across the ASEAN region.23-member squad:Yousuf Butt, Hassan Ali, Saqib Hanif, Abdullah Shah, Abdul Rahman, Ali Khan, Ali Agha, Hayyan Khattak, Ali Uzair, Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Raza, Abdul Samad Arshad, Kaleem Ullah, Shayek Dost, Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Mohib Ullah, Mamoon Khan, Mohd Fazal, Haris Zeb, Umer Nawaz, Abdul Samad, Ali KhanThe FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 will provide Pakistan with an opportunity to compete on a new international platform and further strengthen its preparations against teams from the ASEAN region.

RIYADH (Sports News): Following a historic promotion to the top tier of Saudi football, Diriyah Club have announced their arrival in the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) with a strong statement of intent, both on the pitch and in the transfer market.To equip themselves for the demands of the RSL, the Diriyah-based outfit strengthened their squad impressively and appointed an elite manager in Bruno Lage, a Primeira Liga title winner in Portugal with Benfica who has also coached Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Premier League.Headline additions to the team include Uruguay international, and former Liverpool striker, Darwin Nunez on loan from Al Hilal, French midfielder Enzo Millot on loan from AFC Champions League Elite holders Al Ahli, and ex-Everton and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye following his summer exploits with Senegal at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The early signs have been encouraging: Diriyah Club have won three and drawn two of their opening seven RSL matches to head into the international break eighth in the table.A key part of their promising start to the season has been the quality and experience of midfielder Gueye, with Senegal’s record appearance-maker determined to bring his leadership and mentality to his new club.Gueye, 36, told the Saudi Pro League: “Throughout my career, I've had to face tough competition, good times as well as bad times. With my experience, I can help the team achieve its goals. But leadership isn't just about saying the right words, it's a behaviour you must show both on and off the pitch. With the help of my teammates, we will do good things and try to take the club as far as possible.”Gueye arrived in the RSL following a trophy-laden career at club and international level. A three-time Ligue 1 winner with Lille and PSG, he was integral to Senegal’s run the final of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations. In 2022, Gueye was awarded the Grand Officer of the National Order of the Lion, Senegal’s highest recognition.Yet, after 15 years competing at the elite level of European football, Gueye welcomed the opportunity of a fresh challenge in Saudi football.He said: “I felt it was the right time for me because the club has a great project. It's a historic club that has a very close relationship with the history of the Kingdom and its identity. So, it was the right time for me to come here, with the Roshn Saudi League having welcomed many great players, great coaches, and many big personalities.”Leading Gueye and his Diriyah Club teammates is a manager who also knows what it takes to succeed. Installed in July, Lage is now tasked with delivering on the club’s ambitions - and it’s a responsibility the Portuguese is fully embracing.Lage told the Saudi Pro League: “It was a great honour to accept His Highness Prince Khalid bin Mohammed’s offer to join this project and build the foundations of the club.“When I heard about this project, I was sure it was the right step for my career. With my experience, and with the experience of the squad from what they have achieved in the past two years, we are here to improve every area and, ultimately, be the best club we can be.“We know we have a deep history and identity behind us, but at the same time, we have a great vision and ambition in front of us. We are working very hard to build a team that inside the pitch represents the real values of Diriyah.”The cultural and historical significance of the club is certainly recognised by those on the pitch. A hero in last season’s promotion charge, Saudi midfielder Hussain Al Qahtani believes representing Diriyah provides unique motivation as his team adapts to the demands of the RSL.Al Qahtani said: “It is an immense feeling of pride to represent Diriyah Club. Diriyah is the birthplace and origin of Saudi Arabia - a place of deep significance for every Saudi citizen. Because of that heritage, there is a massive responsibility on everyone who represents this club and this ecosystem, and we are determined to rise to that challenge.“Our goals have always been big. We achieved our first objective by earning promotion to the Roshn Saudi League. Now, our focus is on taking things step by step, building on our momentum, and securing strong results in the top flight this season.“As players, we have to stay resilient. Success doesn't come without setbacks, injuries, or difficult moments. The key is never to give up, focus on the fundamentals, and set a high standard that inspires the younger generation coming through behind us.”

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Pakistan national minifootball team outclassed India 5-0 here in a fixture of the Asian Mini-Football Championship 2026 by showing excellent game.Pakistan had a difficult start to the championship, losing its opening group-stage matches against UAE, Syria and Uzbekistan. However, the team responded strongly, securing a 3-2 victory over Japan before completing an impressive 5-0 win against arch rival India.Despite the early defeats, Pakistan displayed good ball possession and attacking intent throughout its matches. The team created several opportunities but was unable to convert its dominance into goals in the opening games. The victories over Japan and India demonstrated the team's ability to recover and compete strongly at the championship.Mubasher Sanjrani, President of the Pakistan Minifootball Federation, who was also appointed Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee for the championship, praised the team's performance and said said that the team's overall performance was encouraging, but the losses in the initial group matches affected Pakistan's progress in the competition.He noted that the players continued to perform well and showed determination to come back strongly, culminating in victories over Japan and India.He also expressed his gratitude to all the sponsors for their support and collaboration with the Pakistan national minifootball team.Minifootball is gaining popularity among young people in Pakistan. The sport is a small-sided format of football, with six players representing each team, making it an accessible and fast-paced version of the game.The Pakistan team's victories over Japan and India have provided a positive conclusion to its campaign in Jakarta and highlighted the growing interest and potential of minifootball in Pakistan.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (PR): Saudi Pro League (SPL) has launched an innovative new international distribution model that will take live Roshn Saudi League (RSL) matches directly to fans across 16 markets - while enabling approved content creators, clubs, players and third-party platforms to participate in growing the league’s international audience.Marking the SPL’s entry into the rapidly expanding global creator economy, the initiative combines direct-to-consumer broadcasting through SPL-owned channels with a wider network of distribution partners, creating a new approach designed to democratise both access to the RSL and participation in its international growth.Through the new model, fans in selected markets will be able to watch live RSL matches on a pay-per-view basis directly through SPL-owned channels, or receive free, brand-sponsored access in exchange for an agreed action, such as registering or engaging with the sponsoring brand.  RSL players and approved content creators will also be able to promote individual matches and bundles across their own platforms and communities, receiving a share of the revenue they generate, while selected third-party platforms will form part of the wider distribution network. The model is powered by Recast’s monetisation and instant revenue-sharing technology.The new approach sees the SPL expand the traditional relationship between sports properties, their audiences and those who help connect them. By opening distribution to a broader range of approved partners, the league is creating opportunities for those with engaged football audiences to participate directly in expanding the RSL’s reach and share in the value they help generate.The initiative will initially be available across 16 international markets: the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, Serbia, South Korea, Malta, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Cyprus and Greece.It represents the latest step in the SPL’s international growth strategy and provides an additional route to reach fans in markets where traditional broadcast distribution may not provide widespread access to live RSL matches.“The way people discover, consume and engage with sport is changing rapidly,” Omar Mugharbel, Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Pro League, said. “Fans are increasingly connected to competitions, clubs and players through digital platforms and the creators and communities they trust.“For generations, sports distribution has largely been a relationship between rights holders and broadcasters. Developments in technology and the growth of the creator economy give us an opportunity to add another dimension to that relationship - one in which a broader network of partners can help connect our football with fans and participate in that growth.“By democratising both access and distribution, we can bring live RSL football closer to international fans while giving approved content creators, our clubs and players, and other distribution partners a genuine stake in helping us reach new audiences.“For the SPL, this is an opportunity to innovate, learn and build new relationships with the people and platforms shaping how sport is discovered and consumed around the world. As we continue to grow internationally, we want to explore new models that bring fans and the league closer together while creating shared value as our international audience expands.”

Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) today launched its Pakistan Women’s Football Strategy 2026–2030, setting out a national framework to develop women’s football from grassroots participation to the elite level and create sustainable pathways for players, coaches, referees, administrators and leaders.Launched in Islamabad under the theme “From Paper to the Pitch,” the strategy is built around five interconnected pillars: Participation and Competitions; Player Development and High-Performance; Education and Capacity Development; Visibility, Engagement and Growth; and Governance and Leadership.The strategy builds on an existing landscape of 62 registered clubs and academies, 673 registered female players, five certified women referees and the last AFC “A” Licence coaching course for women held in 2020.PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani said the launch came at a historic moment for women’s football in Pakistan.“This is a historic year for Pakistan women’s football. Our women’s team has created history by participating in a FIFA event, and the women’s team is now ranked higher than the men’s team,” he said. “To all the players, coaches and staff who made this possible, everyone deserves our congratulations.”Gilani said the strategy centred on three priorities: improving national team performance, investing in youth development, and creating a broader ecosystem for women’s football.“We need to produce players, but we also need coaches, referees, managers and leaders,” he said. “It is my pledge that we want to create an ecosystem for women’s football where they can become whatever they want to be within the game.”He also highlighted the emphasis on women’s training through the PFF’s recent Football for Schools programme and the appointment of a woman as the federation’s safeguarding officer.Presenting the strategy, Head of Women’s Football Mejzgaan Orakzai said its central ambition was to establish a connected pathway allowing girls to enter football at grassroots level and progress towards the national team.“At its heart, this strategy is about developing women’s football from grassroots to the elite level,” Orakzai said. “The existing landscape is challenging, but there are great opportunities for growth. This is not about starting from zero; it is about building upon and strengthening what already exists.”The strategy proposes expanded grassroots and youth competitions alongside a tiered national, provincial and district women’s league structure, supported by a comprehensive player registration system and a national talent identification framework.“The pathway has to begin with access,” Orakzai said. “We want more girls playing football in schools, clubs and academies, more regular competitions, and a system that can identify talent wherever it exists.”Under its Player Development and High-Performance pillar, the strategy proposes Regional Training Centres, national youth programmes and a Women’s National Team High-Performance Framework, with regular international exposure for youth teams and at least 10 international matches annually for the senior national team.“High performance cannot be separated from the development system beneath it,” Orakzai said. “We need to identify players earlier, monitor their progression and provide them with the coaching, competition and support they need to reach the highest level.”The Education and Capacity Development pillar includes a national women’s coach education pathway, referee development programmes and leadership opportunities for women. It targets the training and certification of at least 250 female coaches across four regions and an increase in registered female referees to 100.The strategy also seeks to raise the profile and commercial appeal of women’s football through outreach, marketing, communications, media partnerships and fan engagement, with programmes designed to reach at least 2,000 girls annually across the four regions.Its Governance and Leadership pillar focuses on greater representation of women in leadership, stronger monitoring and reporting, club and league professionalisation, and enhanced safeguarding and player welfare.PFF Chief Operating Officer Shahid Khokhar said strategic planning was about aligning ambition with reality.“As a student of strategic planning, it is important to create a plan that aligns your dreams and ambitions with reality,” he said.PFF Technical Director Adeel Rizki said: “Youth football is very critical. What happens over the next three years will depend greatly on what happens with the youth,” Rizki said. “With proper planning and execution, we can have a very robust national system.”Coordinator to the Prime Minister for the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination Syeda Mehreen Sajid welcomed the creation of a clear pathway while emphasising the need to reach talent beyond major cities.“Building a pathway is amazing, because we can then see a plan and a direction,” she said. “I am hoping that you will cater to smaller towns as well as the bigger cities, because some amazing talent is hiding there.”Looking towards 2030, the strategy envisions more girls participating in football, more players, coaches and referees entering the system, greater opportunities for women in leadership, and a football environment that is accountable, professional and safe.The strategy’s mission is to develop women’s football into one of the leading sports for females in Pakistan while creating a comprehensive structure that nurtures talent from grassroots to elite level.

162,000 footballs to be distributed among students, Scheme to kick off in January 2027Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation has formally launched the FIFA Football for Schools programme in Pakistan, targeting three million students through 3,000 public schools as part of an ambitious strategy to expand grassroots participation and establish a stronger football culture across the country.More than 50 master trainers have completed their training under the guidance of FIFA instructors led by Antonio Buenano Sanchez, Senior Football for Schools Manager at FIFA. The launch event brought together senior PFF officials and representatives of FIFA, the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and UNESCO.Speaking at the press conference, PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani said the target of reaching three million students through 3,000 schools was a conservative estimate, with the PFF intending to expand well beyond those numbers. As part of the rollout, 162,000 footballs will be distributed across the schools.Acknowledging that infrastructure remains one of the biggest challenges facing football in Pakistan, Gilani said the programme was being introduced through public schools. FIFA developed the criteria for selecting schools and teachers, while school identification was carried out with the PFF’s partners, including the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme and UNESCO.Gilani also underlined the role of teachers in making the initiative sustainable, describing them as new stakeholders, custodians and ambassadors for football in their communities. “Today is the last day of your course. Tomorrow is the first day of your mission,” he told the teachers and master trainers.Antonio Buenano Sanchez, Senior Football for Schools Manager at FIFA, said the programme had the potential to have a “massive” impact on Pakistan’s youth.Football for Schools has already benefited 154 countries, Sanchez said, with Pakistan now set to use a cascading model in which the more than 50 master trainers return to their districts and train additional teachers. This could create a network of around 450 trainers in a short period.FIFA will also provide educators access to the Football for Schools app in Urdu.“Talent is everywhere,” Sanchez said, stressing that children from every part of Pakistan should have the opportunity to develop their potential. With the right opportunities, he said, some could go on to represent Pakistan in the future.“But this needs the right processes, the right systems,” he added, reaffirming FIFA’s commitment to building those systems with the PFF.For PFF Chief Operating Officer Shahid Khokhar, the programme represents an opportunity to establish a stronger football culture in Pakistan and grow the country’s fan base, creating greater potential for the commercialisation and sustainability of the game.PFF Technical Director Adeel Rizki said the trained teachers had been empowered to return to their districts and train others, with the current rollout representing only the first stage.“This is the first stage, and we will slowly but surely increase the number of schools and districts that we are looking to bring into the programme,” Rizki said.He said the next major step would be the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), scheduled to launch in January 2027, which will introduce a structured system for identifying and developing age-group talent emerging from initiatives such as Football for Schools.Fuad Pashayev, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative in Pakistan, said football could be a powerful tool for youth development and social change, helping cultivate mental resilience and a sense of belonging. UNESCO will work with the PFF in 15 districts, using football to engage young people and promote social change.Andrei Vashkevich, Senior Member Associations Development Manager at FIFA’s Dubai Office, said Football for Schools was designed to establish the foundations of a country’s football system through mass participation at grassroots level. He welcomed the revival of football activity in Pakistan and reaffirmed FIFA’s commitment to supporting the country’s football development.Syeda Amna Batool, MNA and Focal Person for the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, stressed the role of sport in developing children beyond the classroom and called for the programme to be genuinely inclusive, particularly by ensuring girls have opportunities to participate and develop through football.Through Football for Schools, children across Pakistan will have the opportunity to develop not only footballing ability but also confidence, resilience, friendship and leadership, while the programme lays the foundations for a broader and more sustainable football ecosystem.

RIYADH (Saudi Arabia): Following a competitive year for the Saudi Pro League (SPL) in the 2025/26 season, the league’s standout international stars have been recognised by France Football with the inclusion of the Roshn Saudi League (RSL) golden boot winner Julian Quinones and league champion Sadio Mane in the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d’Or.Mexico forward Quinones was the breakout star for the host nation at this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring the opening goal of the tournament in Mexico City, before following it up with a string of impressive performances - and three more goals - as his side reached the Round of 16.Quinones had carried his RSL form onto football’s global showpiece, underlining his remarkable ability to find the back of the net with Al Qadsiah, where he landed the league’s golden boot with 33 goals. With a hat-trick in the final day of the 2025-26 season, Quinones edged out fellow international stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Ivan Toney to secure the award.Referencing the Ballon d’Or nomination after he scored in Al Qadsiah’s 3-2 victory against Al Ahli on Tuesday night, Quinones said: “I’m very proud to have achieved this. I’ve worked hard for this moment and now it has happened.“God’s timing is always perfect. I just try to keep working hard, improving and being the best I can be.”Fellow RSL standout Mane played a pivotal role in Al Nassr’s 2025/26 RSL title triumph, scoring 10 goals and providing six assists as the Riyadh-based club secured its first league title since 2019. Mane also captained Senegal in two major tournaments, helping his nation reach the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and also the knockout stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Asked about his Ballon d’Or nod, Mane said following Al Nassr’s 2-1 home victory against Abha on Wednesday night: “The feeling is incredible. I would say thank you to the fans and, of course, to the journalists.“I know many players could have been on the list for sure, especially from the Saudi Pro League. But yeah, this is the vote. So I would say thank you again.”Also, two of the RSL premier shot-stoppers, Yassine Bounou of Al Hilal and Morocco, and Edouard Mendy of Al Ahli and Senegal, were nominated for the illustrious Lev Yashin trophy. Awarded to the world’s best goalkeeper in honour of Yashin’s 1963 Ballon D’Or victory - the only No. 1 in history to achieve the feat - the 2026 nominations were further evidence of the RSL’s emergence on the global football scene.Bounou enjoyed a stellar campaign with Al Hilal and his country, winning the domestic King’s Cup and reaching the final of the African Cup of Nations at international level. This is his fourth nomination for the prestigious trophy, with the 2023-24 RSL Golden Glove winner earning back-to-back recognition in 2025 and 2026 respectively.For Mendy, the Senegal goalkeeper earns his third nod for the award, following his remarkable year in which the Al Ahli captain captured the AFC Champions League Elite for the second straight season alongside his prize for the 2025-26 SPL’s Best Goalkeeper. PR

Riyadh (PR): President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Mohsen Gillani, called on Ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Farooq, in Riyadh.During the meeting, opportunities to further strengthen cooperation and explore avenues for the development and promotion of football in Pakistan were discussed. The discussion also focused on potential collaboration and engagement with relevant stakeholders in the Kingdom to support Pakistan’s football ecosystem and create greater opportunities for players and sporting institutions.President Mohsen Gillani briefed the Ambassador on the PFF’s ongoing efforts and future initiatives aimed at promoting football at the national and grassroots levels.Ambassador Ahmad Farooq appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan Football Federation and assured his support in exploring avenues for greater cooperation and engagement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in the field of sports.The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment to utilizing sports, particularly football, as a platform to strengthen people-to-people ties and further deepen the longstanding brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (SBR): With one week to go until the 2026-27 Roshn Saudi League season kicks off, anticipation is building for another campaign packed with world-class talent, fierce rivalries and compelling storylines.Beginning on August 13, 2026, and concluding on May 29, 2027, the 34-round season will feature 306 matches as clubs from across Saudi Arabia battle for domestic glory. From the opening round to the final whistle of Matchweek 34, fans can look forward to a calendar filled with blockbuster derbies, heavyweight clashes and fixtures that could shape the title race, continental qualification and relegation battle.Reigning champions Al Nassr begin the defence of their crown looking to fend off familiar challengers, with Al Hilal, Al Ittihad, Al Ahli and an increasingly competitive chasing pack all aiming to mount their own title bids. With many of the world's biggest stars once again set to grace the Roshn Saudi League, every matchweek promises high-quality football and unforgettable moments.The schedule also builds towards a thrilling finale, with champions Al Nassr hosting Riyadh rivals Al Hilal in a Capital Derby on the closing day of the season. Last season's title race went down to the final matchday, and the fixture list has once again created the potential for a dramatic conclusion to the campaign.