Pakistan footballers miss another event due to lack of funds

Pakistan Football Federation's Normalization Committee has failed to secure funds, resulting in Pakistan's young footballers missing another important event.

According to Geo News, the SAFF Football Championship was scheduled to take place in Kathmandu in mid-August, but Pakistan's football team was waiting for FIFA funding, which didn't materialize.

After not receiving a response from FIFA, the Pakistan Football Federation informed the South Asian Football Federation that they are withdrawing from the event, leading to the announcement of new fixtures for the SAFF U-20 Championship.

A senior official of the Pakistan Football Federation confirmed to Geo News that they have withdrawn from the event due to lack of funds.

The official stated that PFF had written to FIFA in May for funding for three events, including SAFF U-17, SAFF U-20, and SAFF Women's Championship, but FIFA did not respond.

The official warned that if funds are not released, participation in SAFF U-17 and Women's Championship will also become difficult. Sources claim that Pakistan Football Federation requires approximately $200,000 per event.

Football circles believe that instead of relying on FIFA funding, PFF can also secure sponsors to cover these expenses. On the other hand, sources reveal that Pakistan Football Federation earned over one crore rupees by hosting recent FIFA qualifier matches."