Football is one of the most popular sports played around the world. Globally, association football is played by over 250 million players in more than 200 countries, and it has the highest television audience in sports, making it the most popular sport in the world.

owever, it is unfortunate to write that in Pakistan, although there are people who understand football and there is immense playing talent, the affairs of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which came into existence along with the creation of Pakistan, have been filled with complex and painful stories.

In the FIFA World Cup, held every four years, we feel satisfied after playing just a few matches in the qualification round. Yet, the entire country shows great interest during the FIFA World Cup. Among the giants of world football, teams like Germany, Argentina, and Brazil are favorites of the Pakistani public.

In Pakistan, football has at times suffered due to government interference and internal conflicts, which have led to international embarrassment. The FIFA Normalization Committee managed the affairs of football in the country for several years. However, now an independent and elected football federation has embarked on a promising journey for the bright future of football in Pakistan, under the leadership of Mohsen Gilani.

A few days ago, during his first press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Mohsen Gilani spoke about football infrastructure in Pakistan, particularly departmental football. He stated that discussions had been held with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in this regard, and expressed hope that positive progress would be made soon.

The very next day after his first press conference at the Karachi Press Club, Mohsen Gilani signed a historic agreement in Islamabad with the most dynamic franchise of the Pakistan Super League, Lahore Qalandars. Alongside Lahore Qalandars’ owner and Chief Executive Atif Rana, the head of the Pakistan Football Federation, Mohsen Gilani, shared the good news with football lovers across Pakistan that in the future, the PFF is launching an outstanding nationwide football development initiative in collaboration with Lahore Qalandars.

Lahore Qalandars owner Atif Rana, while speaking about the agreement with Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), said that since 2017 they had wished to do something for youth in Pakistani football and play a role in improving the sport. He added that in the past, several meetings were held with Faisal Saleh Hayat and later with Haroon Malik, but the discussions did not move forward. He further stated that this is the first time that a leadership figure like Mohsen Gilani has emerged in Pakistan football who invited them to step forward and work together.

Lahore Qalandars owner Atif Rana, while further speaking about the MOU signed with the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), said that under their Players Development Program they have conducted record trials of nearly one million children from across Pakistan.

He added that they will soon formally launch a structured football program in this regard. The aim is to provide a proper platform to young footballers. In this connection, the Pakistan Football Federation and Lahore Qalandars are set to start a nationwide talent hunt program across the country.

The current leadership of Pakistan football is, in fact, aiming to move towards positive change, and Mohsen Gilani is doing commendable work in this regard at both national and international levels.

Lahore Qalandars owner Atif Rana said that their experience and CV in cricket are evident to everyone. He expressed hope that, together with Pakistan Football Federation President Mohsen Gilani, they will explore new pathways for Pakistan football. He added that they aim to soon begin a new journey for Pakistan football, both domestically and on the international stage.