Pakistan clubs have decided against participating in the inaugural 2024 SAFF Club Championship.
According to reports, clubs have shown no interest in the proposal put forward by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).
PFF had shortlisted three clubs – Muslim FC, Afghan FC and Baloch FC (Nushki) – for participating in the regional championship, however there is no progress.
PFF wanted to organize a tournament of the three sides in the start of December 2023. The plan was to have the victor of the tournament represent Pakistan in the club championship.
Sources suggest that due to a lack of funds and tight timeframes, the clubs didn’t respond, and PFF failed to confirm the club’s name to SAFF within the given deadline.
The SAFF event is scheduled to take place in June 2024, where 8 clubs from the region will participate – two from India and one each from Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
The tournament will be played on a home & away basis over a 6-7 month time period, while only the top teams of their professional leagues represent their country in the tournament.
PFF opted to send only standalone football clubs instead of departmental teams. This caused an uproar from the departments as they wanted their sides to represent the country instead of the three clubs which finished in the bottom standings of the last conducted Pakistan Premier League in 2018/19.
