FIFA on Tuesday lifted with immediate effect the suspension it had imposed on Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) last year and reinstated 'all of PFF’s membership rights'.

The PFF had been embroiled in internal power struggle and legal wrangling the last few years, following which the Lahore High Court (LHC) had appointed an administrator to oversee the federation.

But since FIFA does not allow political meddling into regional federations' affairs, it had suspended the PFF in October 2017. However, the court has since validated the PFF's 2015 elections and asked its appointed administrator to vacate the PFF offices — an order FIFA was told has been implemented.

As a result, FIFA says "the suspension of the PFF is lifted with immediate effect. This means that all of PFF’s membership rights have been reinstated, as defined in art. 13 of the FIFA Statutes, with immediate effect. Consequently, PFF’s representative and club teams are again entitled to take part in international competitions."

"PFF’s members and officials may benefit from development programmes, courses and training from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Finally, FIFA member associations may again enter into sporting contact with PFF and/or its teams," an excerpt from a FIFA-issued statement reads.

Opinion

Editorial

Pathways to peace
Updated 27 Apr, 2026

Pathways to peace

NEGOTIATIONS to hammer out the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement took nearly two years before a breakthrough was achieved....
Food-insecure nation
27 Apr, 2026

Food-insecure nation

A NEW UN-backed report has listed Pakistan among 10 countries where acute food insecurity is most concentrated. This...
Migration toll
27 Apr, 2026

Migration toll

THE world should not be deceived by a global migration count lower than the highest annual statistics on record —...
Immunity gap
Updated 26 Apr, 2026

Immunity gap

Pakistan’s Big Catch-Up campaign showed progress but also exposed the scale of gaps in routine immunisation.
Danger on repeat
26 Apr, 2026

Danger on repeat

DISASTERS have typically been framed as acts of nature. Of late, they look increasingly like tests of preparedness...
Loose lips
26 Apr, 2026

Loose lips

PAKISTANIS have by now gained something of an international reputation for their gallows humour, but it seems that...