Pakistan national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Pakistan

Nickname(s)	Shaheens (شاہین) (The Falcons)
Association	Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	SAFF (South Asia)
Head coach	Vacant
Captain	Easah Suliman
Most caps	Haroon Yousaf (51)
Top scorer	Muhammad Essa (11)
Home stadium	Jinnah Stadium
FIFA code	PAK
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	199 (7 February 2019)
Highest	141 (February 1994)
Lowest	205 (June 2019)
Elo ranking
Current	199 3 (3 March 2019)
Highest	96 (9 December 1959)
Lowest	208 (2012)
First international
Iran 5–1 Pakistan  (Tehran, Iran; 27 October 1950)
Biggest win
Pakistan 7–0 Thailand  (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; 5 August 1960)  Pakistan 9–2 Guam  (Taipei, Taiwan; 6 April 2008)  Pakistan 7–0 Bhutan  (Dhaka, Bangladesh; 8 December 2009)
Biggest defeat
Iran 9–1 Pakistan  (Tehran, Iran; 12 March 1969)  Pakistan 0–8 Iraq  (Amman, Jordan; 28 May 1993)
AFC Challenge Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2006)
Best result	Group stage (2006)
Asian Games
Appearances	5 (first in 1954)
Best result	Sixth place (1954)
Medal record Men's Football SAFF Championship Bronze 1997 Nepal Team South Asian Games Gold 1989 Islamabad Team Gold 1991 Colombo Team Bronze 1987 Calcutta Team

The Pakistan national football team (Urdu: پاکستان قومی فٹ بال ٹیم) plays for Pakistan in international football games. It is controlled by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which manages football in the country. Pakistan joined FIFA in 1948 and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1950.

Pakistan's national team played its first game in 1950. They have not yet qualified for the FIFA World Cup or any other big tournaments outside South Asia. However, they have won the 1952 Colombo Cup and gold medals at the South Asian Games in 1989 and 1991. The team was quite good in the 1950s and early 1960s. But over time, football in Pakistan faced challenges. This was mainly due to a lack of proper organization and less focus on the sport. Also, cricket is much more popular in South Asia, which made it harder for football to grow.

History of Pakistan Football

The Early Years (1950s)

Pakistan national team in 1953

Soon after Pakistan became a country in 1947, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) was formed. Muhammad Ali Jinnah was its first leader. FIFA officially recognized the PFF in early 1948.

Pakistan's first international games were in Iran and Iraq in October 1950. Their first official match was against Iran in Tehran, where they lost 5–1. It's said that the Pakistani team played barefoot, which was common in South Asia back then. They also played friendly games, winning against Tehran's Taj FC (now Esteghlal FC) 6–1 and drawing 2–2 with a team from Isfahan. In Iraq, they drew 1–1 in a friendly match.

Pakistan's next big event was the 1952 Colombo Cup. They played their first match against India, which ended in a 0–0 draw. After beating Ceylon and Burma, Pakistan became joint winners of the tournament.

In the 1950s, Pakistan also played in other Colombo Cup tournaments and the Asian Games. At the 1954 Asian Games in Manila, Masood Fakhri scored three goals (a hat-trick) against Singapore, helping Pakistan win 6–2.

Pakistan and Malaya national teams at the 1958 Asian Games.

The Pakistan Football Federation was one of the 13 founding members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on May 8, 1954. Pakistan was supposed to play in the first AFC Asian Cup qualifiers but decided not to. In 1959, they joined the 1960 Asian Cup qualifiers in India. They had a great 4–1 win over Iran and a draw against Israel, finishing third in their group.

A Stronger Period (1960s)

In the early 1960s, Pakistan played in various friendly tournaments like the Merdeka Cup in Malaysia. They had impressive wins, including a 7–0 victory over Thailand and a 3–1 win against Japan. In the 1962 Merdeka Tournament, Pakistan reached the final but lost 2–1 to Singapore.

This time also saw some of Pakistan's best players, like Abdul Ghafoor, known as the "Pakistani Pelé", Moosa Ghazi, and Muhammad Umer Baloch.

Pakistan against Iraq during the five-nation Friendship Cup in Tehran in 1969

In 1963, the China national team visited Pakistan for friendly matches. Pakistan won one game 3–2 and drew two others. Pakistan also played in the 1965 RCD Cup, finishing third. They hosted the second 1967 RCD Cup and again finished third. In 1969, they had a 2–1 win against Iraq but suffered a big 7–0 loss to Iran.

Despite football growing in the 1960s, Pakistan often missed out on big tournaments like the Asian Games and World Cup qualifiers. This was due to money problems and not enough support from the football federation and government.

Challenges and Changes (1970s)

After the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, East Pakistan became Bangladesh. This meant the Pakistani team could no longer pick players from the Dhaka League. The team did not play again until 1973.

Pakistani captain Abdul Ghafoor (right) with Iran's captain Parviz Ghelichkhani at the 1974 Asian Games.

In the early 1970s, Pakistan played in the 1974 RCD Cup and the 1974 Asian Games. A notable result was a 2–2 draw against Turkey and a 5–1 win against Bahrain. They also took part in the Afghanistan Republic Day Festival Cup in 1976 and hosted the first Quaid-e-Azam International Cup in Karachi.

A Period of Comeback (1980–1990)

After a quiet period, Pakistan played in the 1981 King's Cup. They drew 0–0 with Indonesia, beat Malaysia 3–2, and won 1–0 against Singapore.

In 1982, Pakistan hosted the 1982 Quaid-e-Azam International Cup. They started with a 2–0 win over Nepal and finished third. In 1984, they lost most of their Asian Cup qualifiers, but had a 4–1 win over North Yemen, with Sharafat Ali scoring three goals.

Pakistan hosted another 1985 Quaid-e-Azam International Cup. They drew with North Korea and beat Nepal 1–0. In the 1985 South Asian Games, they finished fourth.

Pakistan at the 1986 Fajr International Tournament.

After playing in the 1986 Fajr International Tournament, Pakistan finished second in the 1986 Quaid-e-Azam International Cup. In the 1986 Asian Games, they lost all their games.

In 1987, Pakistan won the bronze medal at the 1987 South Asian Games, beating Bangladesh 1–0. In 1988, they started their first World Cup qualifiers but were not successful. However, they won gold at the 1989 South Asian Games, beating Bangladesh 1–0 in the final.

Challenges Continue (1990s–Present)

Pakistan had an early exit from the 1990 Asian Games. But in the 1991 South Asian Games, they beat the Maldives 2–0 in the final to win their second gold medal. In 1992, the team lost all their matches in the 1992 AFC Asian Cup qualification. They also failed to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. The first SAFF Cup was held in Lahore in 1993, where Pakistan finished fourth.

In 1995, Pakistan exited the SAFF Cup early. Between 1996 and 1997, they lost all their Asian Cup and World Cup qualifying games. Pakistan finished third in the 1997 SAFF Cup, beating Sri Lanka 1–0.

Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the 1997 SAFF Gold Cup.

Pakistan did not win any of their 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers. In the 2002 World Cup qualification, Pakistan got their first point with a 3–3 draw against Sri Lanka, thanks to three goals from Gohar Zaman.

In 2003, at the SAFF Cup, Pakistan surprised many by beating India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan to reach the semi-finals. They lost 1–0 to Maldives and finished fourth after losing to India in the third-place playoff. Later that year, Pakistan won an Asian Cup qualifier 3–0 against Macao but still did not qualify.

In 2004, Pakistan football saw changes with new leadership and a new national league. They had a win and a draw against India in a three-match series. They also reached the semi-finals of the 2005 SAFF Cup.

Pakistan lost their first two Asian Cup qualifiers in 2006. They also played in the first 2006 AFC Challenge Cup but did not get past the group stage, though they beat Kyrgyzstan 1–0. In the 2010 World Cup qualifiers in 2007, they lost heavily to Iraq. In 2008, Pakistan had a record 9–2 win over Guam in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup qualification, but still failed to reach the finals.

In the 2008 SAFF Championship, Pakistan did not get past the group stages. In the 2009 SAFF Championship, they lost to Sri Lanka, drew with Bangladesh, and won 7–0 against Bhutan.

Pakistan had no senior games in 2010. For the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification in 2011, they lost to Turkmenistan and India, but beat Chinese Taipei 2–0. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in July, Pakistan lost 3–0 to Bangladesh in Dhaka and drew 0–0 in Lahore. They did not qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Pakistan in Malé during a friendly against Maldives in 2013.

In 2012, Pakistan lost 4–0 to Singapore. In 2013, they won two games against Nepal 1–0. They also drew 1–1 with Maldives. Pakistan played in the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup qualification, beating Macau 2–0.

Pakistan lost a friendly to Afghanistan 3–0. In the 2013 SAFF Championship, they lost 1–0 to India. They drew 1–1 with Nepal and beat Bangladesh 2–1, but did not reach the semi-finals.

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Pakistan faced Yemen. They lost the first match 3–1 and drew the second 0–0, which meant they were out of the tournament.

Inactivity and FIFA Suspensions (2015–2022)

Pakistan against India at the 2018 SAFF Championship.

Pakistan's football activities were stopped by FIFA on October 10, 2017, due to problems with the leadership of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF). For three years, the top football league in Pakistan was suspended. The men's senior team also could not play in international games. Pakistan's FIFA ranking dropped from 168 in 2003 to a low of 201 in 2017.

FIFA brought Pakistan back into its membership on March 13, 2018.

Pakistan then went to Bangladesh for the 2018 SAFF Championship in September 2018. This was their first FIFA-recognized tournament in three years. They won their first match against Nepal 2–1. They lost 1–0 to hosts Bangladesh but then beat Bhutan 3–0, which got them into the semi-finals for the first time in 13 years. In the semi-final, they lost 3–1 to their rivals, India.

After the SAFF Cup, Pakistan played a friendly match against Palestine on November 16, 2018, losing 2–1.

Pakistan then lost their chance to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, losing twice to Cambodia. There were issues with two different football groups trying to organize the team.

FIFA suspended Pakistan again on April 7, 2021. The suspension was lifted on June 29, 2022.

Return to International Football (2022–Present)

Pakistan returned to playing international matches with a friendly against Nepal in November 2022, losing 1–0. They lost another friendly to Maldives 1–0 in March 2023.

Pakistan then played in the 2023 Mauritius Four Nations Cup and the 2023 SAFF Championship. They lost all six matches in these tournaments.

On July 27, 2023, Pakistan was drawn against Cambodia for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. English coach Stephen Constantine was appointed. In the first game in Phnom Penh, they drew 0–0. Pakistan won the second game 1–0 in Islamabad with a goal from Harun Hamid. This was their first World Cup qualifier win and their first home game in eight years, allowing them to move to the second round for the first time.

After this win, the "Shaheens" were grouped with Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Tajikistan. Pakistan was the lowest-ranked team in the qualifiers. They lost all their games in this group.

Team Look and Home Grounds

Kit

Pakistan wearing their green home jersey (above), and white away jersey (below) at the 1997 SAFF Gold Cup.

The Pakistan national team's home kit is a green shirt and white shorts. These colors come from the flag of Pakistan. The away kit has changed over time, usually being a white shirt with either white or green shorts.

Home Stadiums

For many years, Pakistan played their home matches all over the country. The KMC Stadium in Karachi, built in the 1950s, is one of the oldest football stadiums in Pakistan.

Jinnah Sports Stadium in Islamabad (left) and the Punjab Stadium in Lahore.

Most of Pakistan's home matches are now played at the Jinnah Sports Stadium in Islamabad. They won the 1989 and 2004 South Asian Games there. The Punjab Stadium in Lahore is also a main venue. Muhammad Essa scored the first international goal at Punjab Stadium in June 2005 against India.

The Jinnah Sports Stadium is the biggest football stadium in Pakistan, holding over 45,000 people. The People's Football Stadium in Karachi is the second largest, with a capacity of 40,000.

Pakistan B Team

Sometimes, two Pakistan national teams played in tournaments like the Quaid-e-Azam International Cup. The main team was called Pakistan Greens, and a "B team" (made of younger or less experienced players) was called Pakistan Reds, Pakistan Blue, or Pakistan White. This was common in the 1980s and 1990s for developing countries in South Asia.

Rivalries

India

Pakistan against India at the 1997 SAFF Gold Cup.

Pakistan's biggest rival in football is India. Their first match was at the 1952 Colombo Cup, a 0–0 draw where both teams were named champions. India won their next game 1–0 in 1953. Pakistan's first official win over India was 1–0 in the 1960 AFC Asian Cup qualification. So far, Pakistan has won 3 games, drawn 8, and India has won 16 out of 27 matches.

Afghanistan

Pakistan also has a rivalry with Afghanistan. Because of their shared history and culture, games against Afghanistan are very exciting for Afghan football fans. Their first meeting was in 1976, where Afghanistan won 1–0. Pakistan has won four of their matches, while Afghanistan has won two.

Current Coaching Staff

Players

Current Squad

These players were chosen for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in June 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of June 11, 2024, after the match against Tajikistan.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Yousuf Butt	(1989-10-18) 18 October 1989 (age 35)	29	0	Tårnby FF
20	1GK	Saqib Hanif	(1994-04-23) 23 April 1994 (age 31)	8	0	Victory Sports
22	1GK	Hassan Ali	(2003-02-23) 23 February 2003 (age 22)	0	0	WAPDA
2	2DF	Mohammad Umar Hayat	(1996-10-22) 22 October 1996 (age 28)	19	1	WAPDA
3	2DF	Haseeb Khan	(2000-04-04) 4 April 2000 (age 25)	4	0	Pakistan Air Force
4	2DF	Abdullah Iqbal (Vice-captain)	(2002-07-27) 27 July 2002 (age 22)	14	0	Mjällby
5	2DF	Waqar Baloch	(1996-03-02) 2 March 1996 (age 29)	2	0	Khan Research Laboratories
6	2DF	Mamoon Moosa Khan	(2000-11-28) 28 November 2000 (age 24)	10	0	Pakistan Air Force
14	2DF	Muhammad Sadam	(2005-02-01) 1 February 2005 (age 20)	4	0	POPO FC
15	2DF	Mohammad Fazal	(2002-05-29) 29 May 2002 (age 23)	2	0	IMT
19	2DF	Abdul Rehman	(2008-02-25) 25 February 2008 (age 17)	1	0	POPO FC
8	3MF	Rahis Nabi	(1999-04-16) 16 April 1999 (age 26)	16	1	Free agent
12	3MF	Umair Ali	(1999-05-17) 17 May 1999 (age 26)	3	0	Pakistan Army
16	3MF	Ali Uzair	(1996-10-14) 14 October 1996 (age 28)	17	0	WAPDA
17	3MF	Toqeer Ul Hassan	(2001-08-25) 25 August 2001 (age 23)	0	0	SA Gardens
21	3MF	Ali Zafar	(2007-08-28) 28 August 2007 (age 17)	0	0	Hazara Pioneers FC
	3MF	Alamgir Ghazi	(1998-05-09) 9 May 1998 (age 27)	13	0	WAPDA
7	4FW	Otis Khan	(1995-09-05) 5 September 1995 (age 29)	9	0	Oldham Athletic
9	4FW	Imran Kayani	(2001-12-24) 24 December 2001 (age 23)	6	0	Westfield
10	4FW	Fareed Ullah	(2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 24)	8	0	Abu Muslim
11	4FW	Adeel Younas	(2006-03-23) 23 March 2006 (age 19)	3	0	Khurasan FC
13	4FW	Moin Ahmed	(2003-11-28) 28 November 2003 (age 21)	4	0	Khan Research Laboratories
18	4FW	Shayak Dost	(2002-05-01) 1 May 2002 (age 23)	14	0	WAPDA
23	4FW	McKeal Abdullah	(2005-07-07) 7 July 2005 (age 19)	2	0	Basford United

Recent Call-ups

These players have also been called to the Pakistan squad in the last year.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Abdul Basit Ghafoor	(1990-07-01) 1 July 1990 (age 34)	0	0	New Radiant	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024
DF	Easah Suliman (Captain)	(1998-01-26) 26 January 1998 (age 27)	9	0	Sumgayit	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024 WD
DF	Muhammad Sohail	(2001-09-04) 4 September 2001 (age 23)	2	0	Khan Research Laboratories	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024
DF	Muhammad Adeel	(2006-04-01) 1 April 2006 (age 19)	0	0	Muslim Hands FC	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024
MF	Harun Hamid	(2003-11-10) 10 November 2003 (age 21)	13	1	Free agent	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024INJ
MF	Rajab Ali	(1997-03-06) 6 March 1997 (age 28)	2	0	Khan Research Laboratories	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024
FW	Abdul Arshad	(2003-02-26) 26 February 2003 (age 22)	8	0	Ishøj IF	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024
FW	Waleed Khan	(2004-12-08) 8 December 2004 (age 20)	11	0	POPO FC	v.  Jordan; 26 March 2024
PRE Preliminary squad / standby RET Retired from the national team INJ Player withdrew due to injury WD Player withdrew from squad due to non-injury issue

Player Records

Players in bold are still active with Pakistan.

Most Games Played

Haroon Yousaf has played the most games for Pakistan, with 51 appearances.

Top Goal Scorers

Captains

These players have been captains in major tournaments.

Tournament Records

FIFA World Cup

Pakistan has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA World Cup Record										Qualification Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1930 to 1938	Part of  United Kingdom									Part of  United Kingdom
1950 to 1986	Did not enter									Did not enter
1990	Did not qualify									4	0	0	4	1	12
1994										8	0	0	8	2	36
1998										4	0	0	4	3	22
2002										6	0	1	5	5	29
2006										2	0	0	2	0	6
2010										2	0	1	1	0	7
2014										2	0	1	1	0	3
2018										2	0	1	1	1	3
2022										2	0	0	2	1	4
2026										8	1	1	6	2	26
2030	To be determined									To be determined
2034
Total		0/20	—	—	—	—	—			40	1	5	34	15	148

AFC Asian Cup

Pakistan has not qualified for the AFC Asian Cup.

AFC Asian Cup Record										Qualification Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1956	Withdrew									Withdrew
1960	Did not qualify									6	2	1	3	8	10
1964	Withdrew									Withdrew
1968	Did not qualify									3	0	1	2	1	4
1972	Withdrew									Withdrew
1976
1980
1984	Did not qualify									4	1	0	3	4	14
1988										4	0	0	4	1	12
1992										2	0	0	2	0	9
1996										2	0	0	2	0	7
2000										4	0	0	4	0	16
2004										2	1	0	1	3	3
2007										8	0	1	7	4	23
2011	Did not enter									Did not enter
2015
2019	Did not qualify									2	0	1	1	1	3
2023										2	0	0	2	1	4
2027	To be determined									To be determined
Total		0/18	—	—	—	—	—	—		39	4	4	31	23	105

AFC Challenge Cup

This tournament was held every two years from 2006 to 2014.

AFC Challenge Cup Record										Qualification Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA		Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
2006	Group stage	10th	3	1	1	1	3	4		No qualification
2008	Did not qualify									3	2	0	1	12	10
2010										3	1	2	0	9	3
2012										3	1	0	2	3	6
2014										3	1	0	2	2	2
Total	Group stage	1/5	3	1	1	1	3	4		12	5	2	5	26	21

Asian Games

Since 2002, the Asian Games football tournament has been for players under 23 years old.

Asian Games Record
Year	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1951	Did not enter
1954	Round 1	2	1	0	1	7	4
1958	Round 1	2	0	1	1	2	4
1962	Did not enter
1966
1970
1974	Round 1	3	1	0	2	6	13
1978	Did not enter
1982
1986	Round 1	4	0	0	4	2	15
1990	Round 1	3	0	0	3	1	16
1994	Did not enter
1998
2002 to present	See Pakistan national under-23 football team
Total	5/13	14	2	1	11	18	52

South Asian Games

Since 2004, the South Asian Games football tournament has been for players under 23 years old.

South Asian Games Record
Year	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1984	Did not enter
1985	Fourth place	3	1	1	1	6	5
1987	Third place	3	2	1	0	2	0
1989	Champions	3	2	1	0	5	2
1991	Champions	3	2	1	0	3	0
1993	Group stage	2	0	1	1	3	4
1995	Withdrew
1999	Group stage	3	1	0	2	5	9
2004 to present	See Pakistan national under-23 football team
Total	6/8	17	8	5	4	24	20

SAFF Championship

SAFF Championship Record
Year	Result	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1993	Fourth place	4th	3	0	2	1	2	6
1995	Group stage	5th	2	1	0	1	1	2
1997	Third place	3rd	4	2	0	2	3	4
1999	Group stage	6th	2	0	0	2	0	6
2003	Fourth place	4th	5	3	0	2	5	4
2005	Semi-finals	4th	4	2	1	1	2	1
2008	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	2	9
2009	Group stage	5th	3	1	1	1	7	1
2011	Group stage	5th	3	0	3	0	1	1
2013	Group stage	5th	3	1	1	1	3	3
2015	Withdrew
2018	Semi-finals	4th	4	2	0	2	6	5
2021	Suspended
2023	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	0	9
Total	Third place	12/14	39	12	8	19	32	51

ECO Cup

Pakistan at the 1974 RCD Cup.

ECO Cup Record
Year	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1965	Third place	2	0	0	2	2	7
1967	Third place	2	0	0	2	4	9
1969	Third place	2	0	0	2	4	8
1970	Third place	2	0	0	2	1	10
1974	Third place	2	0	1	1	3	4
1993	Seventh place	2	0	0	2	0	9
Total	6/6	12	0	1	11	14	47

FIFA World Ranking

Honours and Awards

Summary of Major Awards

Competition				Total
SAFF Championship	0	0	1	1
South Asian Games	2	0	1	3
Total	2	0	2	4

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Pakistán para niños

• Football in Pakistan
  • Women's football in Pakistan
• Pakistan national under-23 football team
• Pakistan national under-20 football team
• Pakistan national under-17 football team
• Pakistan Football Federation