ISLAMABAD, Sept 22: The historic, first-ever National Women Football championship kicks off under floodlights at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex, here on Friday. Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat, who is also the President of Pakistan Football Federation, will declare the championship open at a ceremony starting 6.00 p.m. on Friday.

The opening ceremony will be followed with 7.00 p.m. kickoff of the inaugural match between Islamabad and Balochistan which are among the eight teams to compete in the seven-day championship which will also be witnessed by a delegation of World Football Federation (FIFA).

The other teams to be in the fray for clinching the maiden national women football title will be Punjab, Sindh, NWF, Wapda, Azad Kashmir and Football School of Excellence, Sindh.

The matches will be of 50-minutes duration each (two halves of 25 minutes each) unlike the international standard 90-minute matches.—APP