Karachi United, Swindon Town FC sign MoU

LAHORE: In a major move for football in Pakistan the country’s premier football club Karachi United FC and the United Kingdom’s prestigious Swindon Town FC have entered into a partnership.

The partnership was facilitated by Prospect Pakistan, a pioneering sports platform dedicated to creating global partnerships for Pakistan’s sporting ecosystem. The MOU for this collaboration was signed in the UK at the Royal Agricultural University, in the presence of Riz Rehman, Player Inclusion Executive at the Professional Footballers’ Association [PFA], where a debut delegation of Karachi United’s coaches and players, were also present.

The partnership between Karachi United and Swindon Town FC aims to foster the exchange of best practices, open new player pathways and provide advanced training for coaches at Karachi United. This initiative is set to elevate the level of football in Pakistan by integrating international standards and expertise into local practices, one step at a time.

Under the MoU Swindon Town FC will provide expert coaching workshops and training programs for Karachi United coaches, focusing on modern techniques and methodologies to enhance their skills and knowledge.

KU players will gain opportunities for exposure and development through exchange programmes, scouting, and participation in training camps at the Swindon Town FC allowing them to experience competitive football environments abroad. This is a long terms (5-10 year) target of developing Pakistani talent to come and possibly succeed in the UK and globally.

Both clubs will engage in regular exchanges to share insights on club management, player development, and community engagement, aiming to build a sustainable and progressive football ecosystem in Pakistan.

“We are excited to begin working with Karachi United, a club who has similar values to our academy and shared enthusiasm for youth development. The partnership will see us share football programme ideas, coach development strategies and insights into how our environment caters to the needs of individuals,” Alex Pike, Academy Manager, Swindon Town FC, said.

Founder and CEO of Prospect, Rizwan Raees Khan, said, “Pakistan has incredible athletes lacking global and local opportunities. Our partnership between Swindon Town FC and Karachi United aims to change that. We are committed to fostering excellence and creating opportunities for Pakistani athletes and look forward to replicating this success in other sports.”