PFF vows to build unique football identity, stresses grassroots talent development

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has reaffirmed its resolve to build a unique identity for football in the country. Improving players’ skills, mastering the basic principles of the game and strengthening the domestic football structure have been named as key priorities.

This was said at a press conference held on Sunday morning at a local hotel in Islamabad. It followed Pakistan’s historic participation in the FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival 2026 in Azerbaijan.

Team’s performance and weaknesses

Addressing the press conference after the team’s return home, head coach Ehsanullah Khan said the main aim of taking part in the event was to improve the players’ skills, give them experience of international competition and let them play as many matches as possible against teams from different football cultures. The coaching staff had told the players to take the field without fear of losing.

According to Ehsanullah Khan, the successful football nations of the world have exceptional command of the basic principles of the game. He believes that if Pakistan consistently builds its football on these principles, it is not impossible for the country to join the world’s leading football nations.

The head coach thanked PFF President Syed Mohsin Gilani and the federation for not letting Pakistan miss this learning opportunity. He also praised the support of the parents who travelled to Azerbaijan to encourage their children. He described as important the PFF president’s personal encouragement of the players and his announcement of an extra reward of Rs25,000 for each player.

Ehsanullah Khan named the practical demonstration of basic skills and defensive transition as key areas that need more work. He said that fixing these weaknesses would require time, continuous training and more opportunities for competitive football.

Domestic football and talent development

PFF Technical Director Adeel Rizki said that taking part in the World Cup gave Pakistan a chance to assess its abilities at international level and understand the gap between it and other teams. He said results were secondary in this campaign. The main focus was on improving the players’ skills and identifying the areas that need further improvement.

Replying to a question on the future of domestic football, Adeel Rizki said the existing structure must be reorganised to promote football in the country. He said attention was being paid to creating an organised system from the grassroots level, so that talented players could be identified, trained and developed in time.

Asked about government cooperation, PFF Director Media and Communications Umaid Waseem said government-run facilities were available for training activities. He also mentioned that accommodation for teams and venues for matches were provided during the domestic Under-17 Championship.

Pakistan Under-15 player Ilhan Khan said he was extremely happy to represent Pakistan at the event. He said the team played well even against strong opponents such as Jordan. He added that had the key chances been taken, Pakistan could have finished in a better position in the tournament. Another player, Awais, also offered special thanks to PFF President Syed Mohsin Gilani.