Pakistan to send football team to Russia for friendly match

Pakistan is likely to send a football team to Russia for a friendly match on October 11, 2024, despite initial talks between the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and the Russian Football Union falling through.

A senior PSB official confirmed that Pakistan accepted Russia's invitation to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

The invitation was extended by Russia's Minister of Sport through diplomatic channels.

The PFF's Normalisation Committee initially expressed concerns about the limited preparation time, leading to a pause in discussions with the Russian Football Union.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Rehan, the newly elected president of the Islamabad Football Association (IFA), informed the PFF about the PSB's approach and sought consent for participation.

It's worth noting that the IFA and its affiliated clubs are registered with the PFF and require approval for such matches. However, the PFF hasn't made a decision on the IFA's request, and any team traveling to Russia won't be considered Pakistan's official national football team.