The International Federation of Football Association (FIFA) has officially lifted the suspension on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) following the successful approval of constitutional amendments.
In a statement released late Sunday, FIFA announced that its council bureau had decided on March 2, 2025, to lift the suspension, which was imposed on February 6, 2025.
The decision follows the unanimous approval of the PFF Constitution by the PFF Congress, which was validated by FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This fulfilled the requirement set by FIFA for lifting the suspension.
Confirming the development, Shahid Khokhar, a member of the PFF Normalisation Committee, told Geo News that Pakistan is now eligible to resume international football activities.
“The suspension has been lifted following the successful outcome of the PFF Extraordinary Congress on February 27,” Khokhar said. “We thank FIFA and AFC for their continued support and extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Pakistan football community.”
With the ban removed, PFF’s membership rights under FIFA statutes have been fully reinstated, allowing Pakistan’s national and club teams to compete internationally once again.
Road to AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers
FIFA had initially suspended PFF after its Congress members refused to accept constitutional amendments aimed at ensuring a transparent election process. However, the deadlock was broken during the follow-up meeting on February 27, leading to the approval of the amendments.
The lifting of the suspension comes as a major boost for Pakistan’s football aspirations, particularly with the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers approaching. Due to the suspension, Pakistan had been unable to participate, but now the PFF must swiftly prepare for their upcoming match against Syria later this month.
This development marks a fresh start for Pakistan football, with hopes that the federation will now function smoothly under its newly ratified constitution.
