Mohsen Gilani elected Pakistan Football Federation president

LAHORE: Mohsen Gilani was on Tuesday elected as the 17th President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), securing victory in the second round of voting with 13 votes, defeating Taha Alizai of Karachi United Football Club, who earned 11 votes.

This marks a historic moment for Pakistan football, as Gilani becomes the first elected PFF president in over six years, following a prolonged period of crisis and governance under FIFA’s Normalisation Committee.

The PFF elections also saw the election of three vice presidents. Naveed Aslam was elected first Vice President with 14 votes. Zakaullah and Muhammad Ali secured second and third Vice President positions with 13 votes each.

The election process, overseen by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) representatives, was conducted under strict regulatory conditions to ensure transparency. Gilani, a former FIFA development officer, brings a wealth of international football administration experience. His presidency comes at a critical time, with Pakistan’s football landscape needing revitalisation. His administration faces such challenges as reviving domestic competitions and launching the much-delayed franchise-style league besides improving national team performance, especially with AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers underway.

Moreover, he faces the challenge of boosting grassroots football development and reintroducing structured youth programmes in addition to enhancing women’s football infrastructure development.

The election took place under FIFA supervision, concluding years of uncertainty. Since 2019, multiple iterations of the Normalisation Committee struggled with internal conflicts, delays, and governmental interference, which had stalled PFF’s ability to function effectively.

“Gilani’s leadership will be closely watched by both domestic stakeholders and international governing bodies,” stated a local football official. “His tenure represents a new chapter for Pakistan football, but the challenges ahead remain daunting,” the official added.