The Pakistan U23 national football team’s preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers have been marred by unfortunate travel issues, as prominent goalkeeper Umair Arooj was unable to join the squad for their trip to Cambodia.
Umair Arooj was named in the 23-member squad announced by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) for the upcoming tournament but will not be able to take the field due to an administrative error. While the PFF has not publicly shared the exact reason, according to Zeeshan Shafi, the federation mistakenly listed Umair Bahadar twice in the clearance documents while omitting Arooj, making him ineligible to travel with the team.
Administrative errors have long been part of the PFF’s history, and this latest mishap is another rung in a series of travel-related setbacks that have plagued Pakistani football, highlighting the persistent logistical challenges faced by the governing body.
Umair Arooj’s absence leaves Hassan Ali and Adam Najeeb as the only goalkeeping options for Pakistan in their three upcoming fixtures.
Pakistan, led by head coach Nolberto Solano, is placed in Group G of the qualifiers, where they face stiff competition from Iraq, hosts Cambodia, and Oman. The absence of players from the original roster is expected to be a setback as the team looks to make an impact on the international stage.
Despite the disruption, Pakistan will still hope for a breakthrough campaign under their new coach. The spotlight now shifts to the remaining squad members, who must take on added responsibility as they represent the country in these crucial qualifiers.
