First-ever professional football league in Karachi in December

KARACHI: Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah-led Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Saturday decided to hold the first-ever professional football league in Karachi in December this year.

The League, which will be formally launched next month, will have five teams. It will be a franchise-based league on the pattern of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) and will have foreign players too.

“We have finalised the deal with one of the best firms and InshaAllah the league will be conducted in December,” PFF vice-president Naved Haider told ‘The News’ after the ExCo meeting of the federation held at the PFF headquarters in Lahore.

Naveed said that the league would be handled professionally. “The firm will also bring in a portable stadium which will be installed at the appropriate place to provide the best opportunity to football fans to enjoy the game,” Naveed said.

He said that the players would be categorised in three categories. “The value of the A category players will be 15,000 US dollars, B category 10,000 US dollars and C category 5000 US dollars,” he added.

Naveed said that a selection committee to be appointed by the PFF would pick the players in consultation with the franchises.

The PFF also decided to hold the Pakistan Premier League in two phases before the professional league.

The first round will be held from July to August. After a one-month gap the second phase will be conducted in October and November.

Naveed said that the league would be held in Karachi, Quetta, Multan and Faisalabad.

The PFF will also hold the Under-23 National Championship in Abbottabad in September.

A national under-19 league will be held in August and September.

Naveed said that various committees were constituted which would help the PFF work effectively.