Jinnah Stadium likely to be venue for PFL

LAHORE: Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad, is likely to host the first-ever franchise-based Pakistan Football League (PFL) which will be formally launched in Lahore on June 4.

“Yes. As Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad, has recently got international standard floodlights and is hosting World Cup qualifiers games so it may be a top venue for the league,” a source well aware of the PFL affairs told The News.

Sources said that one venue will be utilised for the PFL which will be held in November. The league will carry six to eight franchises and the matches will be held on round robin league system. It is actually the PSL pattern on which the league will be held. It has been learnt that each team will carry three common overseas players and one marquee footballer.

Sources said that so far six franchises have been sold out including two from Karachi (Karachi and Lyari) and one each from Quetta, Peshawar, Faisalabad and Sialkot which was the first one which had been sold. Islamabad is yet to be sold and one more franchise is expected to join.

The PFL brand ambassador and former English striker Michael Owen, who visited Pakistan in connection with the league’s build up in 2021, and English former striker Emile Heskey will be heading the foreign delegation which will be landing in Islamabad on June 3. On June 4 there will be formal launch of the league in Lahore and the delegation, which will also carry officials of some renowned foreign clubs will then move to Karachi where some activities are also lined-up. It is also expected that an exhibition match will be held at the Kakri Ground which has been renovated and restructured recently. PFL UK Holdings is organising the league being held for the first time in Pakistan.