A significant chapter in Pakistan football’s turbulent recent history is finally drawing to a close—and a new era could be just weeks away. After more than five years of delays, administrative limbo, and multiple leadership tussles, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is set to hold its long-awaited elections on May 20.
The development was confirmed on Sunday by the FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee (NC), which has been overseeing Pakistan football affairs since 2019. The NC announced that the PFF Elective Congress will convene on May 20 to elect a new executive committee tasked with steering the country’s footballing future.
The election process officially kicks off today (Monday), with candidates able to submit their nominations for various posts within the PFF’s executive body.
According to the schedule shared by the NC, there will be a 10-day window for the submission of candidatures, followed by a seven-day scrutiny period. Once scrutiny is completed, candidates will have four days to lodge any appeals against the decisions, with a further two days allocated for rulings on those appeals.
The final list of candidates eligible to contest the Pakistan Football Federation elections is set to be unveiled on April 30. From there, nominees will have a 19-day campaign period before the crucial vote on May 20.
This announcement brings clarity to a process that has dragged on since September 2019, when FIFA installed the Normalisation Committee to manage the PFF’s day-to-day operations and prepare for fresh elections. In the years since, the NC has seen four different leadership changes and endured bans by FIFA, reflecting the complexities and challenges of restoring order to Pakistan’s football administration.
With the election date now locked in, Pakistan’s football community will be watching closely—hopeful that this long-delayed process can finally provide the stability and vision the sport desperately needs to move forward. While an election may not solve every problem faced by the country, it is certainly a building block for bettering the footballing future of the nation.
