ISLAMABAD: FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have strongly urged the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) to undertake a comprehensive revision of its statutes, stressing that alignment with international standards is essential for the federation’s stability and the sport’s growth.

Officials from the two governing bodies delivered the message during the first day of a Governance and Statutes Revision Workshop on Sunday.

FIFA’s Head of Member Associations Governance Rolf Tanner and AFC’s Senior Manager of South Asia Unit Sonam Jigmi addressed members of the PFF Congress, making it clear that third-party interference in the federation’s affairs would not be tolerated.

The PFF Constitution was last fully revised in 2014, with only limited changes introduced last year before the elective Congress conducted under the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee.

Tanner and Jigmi briefed participants on key principles of good governance, including a clear separation of powers between legislative, executive, and judicial bodies to create effective checks and balances and reduce the risk of corruption.

Avoidance of conflict of interest, gender equality, and competence-based appointments were also discussed. Tanner described the revision of the 2014 Constitution as an urgent requirement set by FIFA and AFC.

“FIFA and AFC had directed a revision of the PFF Constitution one year after the elections and this workshop is a step towards ensuring that it happens very soon,” he said.

PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani described the reforms as long overdue.

“The revision of the statutes has been pending for a decade whilst other federations have moved light-years ahead, so we need to ensure it happens now,” he remarked.

Tanner linked better administration to on-field success.

“You are not going to progress at a sporting level with an archaic federation,” he said, adding that long-term stability at the PFF would ultimately help develop football in the country.

Jigmi assured that the revision process would remain transparent and consultative, but warned that non-compliance with FIFA and AFC obligations could result in the loss of membership rights.Pakistan football has faced years of administrative instability, marked by repeated FIFA interventions, suspensions, normalisation committees, and disputes over elections and league structures.

These challenges have frequently stalled domestic competitions and limited the national team’s progress on the international stage. The federation’s suspension earlier this year highlighted ongoing resistance to structural reforms, even as elections eventually took place.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2026