Tag: Pakistan Football team

Etzaz Hussain cleared to represent Pakistan football team

The long wait for Pakistan football has finally come to an end as FIFA cleared the Norway-based midfielder, Etzaz Hussain, to represent the national team.

The development was confirmed in a social media post by Football Pakistan.

“Etzaz Hussain cleared to play for Pakistan national team! FIFA approves switch from Norway to #PakistanFootball for the Odds BK midfielder. Etzaz Hussain won four Norwegian league titles with Molde FK.”

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The 32-year-old’s FIFA clearance to change his allegiance from Norway to Pakistan was confirmed on Thursday.

He is likely to make his first appearance for the Green Shirts in October when Pakistan face Afghanistan at Islamabad’s Jinnah Stadium.

For years, Etzaz Hussain has been linked with the Pakistan national team, often seen as a player who could transform the side’s midfield.

The midfielder has plenty of experience in the international arena as well, having represented Norway at various youth levels, making appearances for their U17, U18, U19, U21, and U23 teams, although a senior cap eluded him.

His grounding in European football gives him a pedigree rarely found in the Pakistan setup.

Last year, Etzaz reportedly came close to making his Pakistan debut but was unable to feature after an alleged bust-up with then head coach Stephen Constantine.

However, with a new coach at the helm, who is actively seeking diaspora players, Etzaz is ready to showcase his talents on the international stage.

READ: Former spinner looking forward to Abrar vs Indian batters

Pakistan to begin training in Abbottabad ahead of AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers

LAHORE: The Pakistan football team will commence a preparatory camp in Abbottabad on August 16, ahead of the upcoming AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers.

Head coach Nolberto Solano is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on August 15 and will oversee the camp, which is set to run for two weeks under his supervision.

A total of 50 players, initially selected through tryouts, will participate in the training camp. The final 23-member squad will be announced at a later stage.

As part of the qualifiers, Pakistan will play their first match against Iraq on September 3, followed by a game against host nation Cambodia on September 6.

The team will conclude the group stage with a match against Oman on September 9.

Last month, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) appointed Nolberto Solano as head coach of Pakistan’s football team.

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The decision was taken following a vote by the PFF Executive Committee in which seven of the thirteen members voted in favour of the appointment.

Solano replaced Stephen Constantine, who famously led the Pakistan team to their first-ever victory in a World Cup qualifier in October 2023.

Notably, Nolberto Solano was a popular figure during his playing days for English football club Newcastle United, scoring 38 goals in 233 appearances.

Following his retirement from a professional career, Solano has gained extensive experience. He has managed three clubs in his native Peru, while also playing a pivotal role in guiding the Peru national team to their first World Cup appearance in 34 years in 2018.

Additionally, Pakistan’s newly appointed football coach also played a crucial role in Peru’s fourth-place finish in the 2021 Copa America.

READ: Pakistan win toss, bowl first against West Indies in series decider

Pakistan women’s football team set to depart for AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan women’s football team is set to depart for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, scheduled to commence on June 29 in Indonesia.

President of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), Syed Mohsen Gilani, visited the training camp of the Pakistan women’s national football team here at the Jinnah Stadium ahead of their participation in the Qualifiers.

During his visit, President Gilani interacted with the players and coaching staff, expressing his best wishes and confidence in the team’s performance. He also discussed training progress and preparations with the team.

The training camp, led by Head Coach Adeel Rizki, concluded today after several days of preparation.

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The national team is set to depart for Indonesia tonight via a private airline, transiting through Karachi and Bangkok before reaching Jakarta.

Pakistan is placed in Group E alongside Chinese Taipei, host nation Indonesia, and Kyrgyzstan.

The team will play its first group match on June 29 against Chinese Taipei, followed by the second match on July 2 against Indonesia, and the final group game on July 5 against Kyrgyzstan.

All the matches will be played at the Sport Center Kelapa Dua Tangerang.

Pakistan Football Team Squad For Asian Cup Qualifiers

Jennah Farooki, Nisha Ashraf, Zeeyana Jivraj; Defenders: Aliya Sadiq, Layla Banaras, Maria Khan (captain), Nizalia Siddiqui, Sophia Qureshi, Amina Hanif, Azwa Chaudhry, Marsha Malik, Rameen Fareed, Sanah Mehdi, Suha Hirani,  Anmol Hira, Aqsa Mushtaq, Isra Khan, Mariam Mahmood, Nadia Khan, Zehmena Malik, Zulfia Nazir.

READ: Pakistan football team gears up for AFC women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers

Pakistan football team gears up for AFC women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan women’s football team has begun preparing for the highly anticipated AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, scheduled to take place in Jakarta from June 29.

The national women’s football team training camp is in progress here ahead of the qualifiers here at the Jinnah Stadium.

The camp, being held under the supervision of head coach Adeel Rizki, will continue for a few more days.

The national team is scheduled to leave for Indonesia on June 26. The Pakistan team will travel via a private airline, taking the route from Karachi to Bangkok and arriving in Jakarta, Indonesia.

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Pakistan is placed in Group E alongside Chinese Taipei, hosts Indonesia, and Kyrgyzstan.

The team will play its opening match on June 29 against Chinese Taipei. The second match will be played on July 2 against the host nation, Indonesia, while the final group game will be held on July 5 against Kyrgyzstan.

All the matches will be played at the Sport Center Kelapa Dua Tangerang.

Pakistan Football Team Squad For Asian Cup Qualifiers

Jennah Farooki, Nisha Ashraf, Zeeyana Jivraj; Defenders: Aliya Sadiq, Layla Banaras, Maria Khan (captain), Nizalia Siddiqui, Sophia Qureshi, Amina Hanif, Azwa Chaudhry, Marsha Malik, Rameen Fareed, Sanah Mehdi, Suha Hirani,  Anmol Hira, Aqsa Mushtaq, Isra Khan, Mariam Mahmood, Nadia Khan, Zehmena Malik, Zulfia Nazir.

READ: Dominant Pakistan defeats Qatar 3-0 to reach AVC Men’s Volleyball Nations Cup final

Pakistan team reaches Tajikistan hours before FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

The Pakistan men’s football team on Tuesday afternoon, reached Dushanbe, just a few hours ago their scheduled FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match against Tajikistan.

According to the details, a bunch of players and support staff departed for Tajikistan following the national team’s home leg of FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers against Saudi Arabia.

However, some of the players were left behind as their flight to Faisalabad was cancelled twice, pertaining to a bird strike and technical issue.

Then arrangements were made for a chartered flight but it was also cancelled due to technical issues.

The cancellation of the flights had put Pakistan’s participation in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match against Tajikistan in limbo until Pakistan Air Force came to the rescue and flew the remaining players from Nur Khan Air Base in the morning to Dushanbe.

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Consequently, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) extended their gratitude to the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Army for their “unwavering support”.

“We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Pakistani Government, the Pakistan Army, and the Pakistan Air force for their unwavering support during these challenging times,” said PFF in a statement on its official social media handles.

“A special thank you to the Pakistan Air Force for generously providing their private aircraft, ensuring our safe arrival at our destination.

“Special mention for Chairman NC Haroon Malik for all his efforts in getting this done.

“Today marks our last match day, and we are determined to make the nation proud. Thank you for your continued support.”

It is worth mentioning here that Pakistan recently succumbed to a 3-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia at Jinnah International Stadium in Islamabad.

Pakistan are at the bottom of Group G of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers as they ended up on the losing side in all five matches played thus far.

READ: Real Madrid will not skip FIFA Club World Cup 2025, confirms Ancelotti

Pakistan defeat Cambodia 1-0 to win first-ever FIFA World Cup qualifier

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan defeated Cambodia 1-0 to register their first-ever victory in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers at Jinnah Stadium on Tuesday.

Pakistan football team has now qualified for the second round of FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, for the first time.

Harun Hamid scored the only goal of the match in the 67th minute to edge Cambodia.

The first leg of the first round of qualifiers which was played in Cambodia was ended without a single goal being scored.

Pakistan team is now placed in Group G in round two of the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers along with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tajikistan. The winner and the runner-up teams from the group will progress to the third round.

A total of 18 nations that reach the third round will be divided into three groups of six, via a draw conducted at a later date, with the top two nations in each group qualifying for the FIFA World Cup.

The remaining six teams that finished third and fourth in the third round will then be divided into two groups of three teams for the fourth round, with the victor of each group earning a direct entry ticket to the FIFA World Cup.

Finally, in the fifth round, Asia’s representative in the FIFA play-off competition will be decided by a two-legged, home-and-away match between the two runners-up from the fourth round.

Notably, in the 2019 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, Pakistan took on the same opponent and received a 1-4 thrashing.

Pakistan Squad

Goalkeepers: Usman Ali, Salman ul Haq and Yousaf Butt.

Defenders: Mamoon Moosa Khan, Mohibullah, Sohail Khan, Juniad Shah, Ali Khan Niazi, Rao Umar Hayat, Abdullah Iqbal and Easah Suliman.

Midfielders: Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Uzair, Rajab Ali, Nizamuddin, Harun Hamid and Rahis Nabi.

Forwards: Waleed Khan, Mohammad Waheed, Yousuf, Fareed Khan, Abdul Samad, Otis Khan, Moin Ahmed and Shayak Dost.

READ: Ronaldo hits two as Portugal thrash Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pakistan suffer narrow defeat from Nepal on international football return

KATHMANDU: Pakistan men’s football team had an unwanted return to international football as the side suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat at the hands of Nepal at the Dasharath Stadium here on Wednesday.

Pakistan put up a valiant fight in their first international match after a gap of more than three years as they kept their opponent at bay for the majority of the match.

The first half of the match ended with no goal from either side, while the rest of the match too, was nearing a goalless draw and Pakistan were sensing a draw on their return.

Anjan Bista, on the other hand, made a move inside the box in the 83rd minute, got on the end of a cross from the right, and broke the tie with a fantastic goal.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) carried out a robust training camp for the players in Lahore under the supervision of head coach Shehzad Anwar.

Despite Pakistan’s defeat, football fans extended their support towards the national side.

READ: WATCH: Strong wind spoils New Zealand-India trophy unveiling 

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