FIFA lifts suspension on Pakistan Football Federation after constitutional amendments

KARACHI: FIFA has lifted the suspension on Pakistan Football Federation after the PFF Congress approved constitutional amendments required by FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC), officials confirmed on Sunday.

The decision, which takes immediate effect, restores Pakistan’s eligibility to participate in international football activities. FIFA has informed its member associations and PFF of the move, with an official announcement expected on Monday (today).

Shahid Khokhar, a member of the PFF Normalisation Committee, confirmed the development to The News, saying: “The suspension has been lifted following the successful outcome of the PFF Extraordinary Congress on February 27... We thank FIFA and AFC for their continued support of Pakistan football and extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Pakistan football community.”

A FIFA source said the suspension was lifted after the PFF Congress approved a revised version of the PFF Constitution, which had been validated by FIFA and AFC.

“The requirement established by the FIFA Council in its February 6 decision has now been fulfilled,” the source said, adding: “As a result, FIFA decided on March 2 to lift the suspension of PFF with immediate effect.”

The reinstatement means the PFF’s membership rights, as outlined in the FIFA Statutes, have been fully restored. This allows PFF representative and club teams to compete in international competitions again.

FIFA had suspended Pakistan last month after PFF Congress members initially rejected the constitutional amendments, which were aimed at ensuring a transparent election process. However, during a follow-up meeting on February 27, the Congress approved the changes.

The lifting of the suspension clears the way for Pakistan to participate in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. PFF had previously said it was unable to take part due to the suspension. Now, with the ban lifted, PFF have to quickly prepare for its upcoming match against Syria, scheduled later this month.