ISLAMABAD, Sep 29: FIFA, football’s international governing body, has agreed to provide two Canadian women coaches to Pakistan, a top official announced on Thursday.

Makhdoom Faisal Saleh Hayat, the president of Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said the Canadians who will be here for a period of six months will train the women coaches.

Pakistan staged its inaugural national football championship for women that ended on Thursday with Punjab winning the title. Faisal was speaking to journalists at the final played at the Jinnah Stadium.

The foreign coaches is good news for women’s soccer in the country and is part of PFF’s measures to promote the game among women in a big way.

Faisal, expressing delight at the successful holding of the national championship said that PFF planned to have its women team make its international debut next year.

FIFA has already increased its grant for women’s football in Pakistan and Faisal said that PFF will continue to pay attention to it so that the sport can be established on a sound footing.

The national women’s championship in which eight teams took part, generated quite a bit of interest with Thursday’s final being witnessed by about two thousand spectators.

The visiting member of FIFA/AFC Women’s Football Committee, Ms Christina Ramos has been impressed by the enthusiasm displayed by the women players and the facilities available.

Meanwhile, on the men’s side, Pakistan will play a tri-series with Bangladesh and Nepal following the SAARC Championship in Karachi this December.

On the other hand a six-match home and away series with Bahrain has been planned for February. “These competitions will provide us a good opportunity to prepare for the SAF Games in Colombo.” PFF chief said.

Faisal said that plans were afoot to have smaller FIFA Goal Projects in cities like Faisalabad and Abbottabad.