‘It is a tournament to identify talent early’

KARACHI: Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is organising the PFF National U-23 Football Tournament in Abbottabad’s Kunj Ground from July 4.

“Only raw talent of the country will get to play in the tournament,” PFF Director Competition Umar Zia told PPI. “Players of departments will not be playing in this event.”

A total of 12 teams – two teams from each of the four provinces and four regional teams – AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, Islamabad and FATA will be seen in action during the tournament.

“It will serve as a sort of talent hunt tournament,” Zia added. “It will help us increase the pool of players that is under different departments and federation’s radar,” he added.

He added that trials have started for each team and are at different stages.

“For instance trials in Quetta have completed. Other trials are also well on course,” he added.

The final of the tournament will be played on July 16.

He said that he hopes top performers in this event will get contracts from departments.

Meanwhile, PFF will also be organising Pakistan Premier League, which will begin in the last week of July.