Just a day before Pakistan’s AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Afghanistan, uncertainty looms over whether the match will go ahead in Islamabad, with the Afghan squad still awaiting travel visas.
The crucial Group ‘E’ clash, scheduled for Thursday at Jinnah Stadium, hangs in the balance after the Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) failed to secure timely visa clearance for several players, many of whom are based overseas. Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Mohsen Gilani confirmed that while Afghan players and officials residing in Afghanistan have received their visas, those abroad remain stuck due to delays in biometric verification.
The situation has reportedly sparked tension between the two federations, with both writing to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to raise concerns and even request a potential walkover if the fixture is scrapped.
According to the Afghan Voice Agency, the AFF submitted its squad list to the Pakistan Embassy on September 18 and made “repeated follow-ups,” but visas were still pending. The PFF, however, claims the final list only arrived on September 27, well past the AFC’s 30-day visa processing deadline.
Meanwhile, journalist Faizan Lakhani reports that the PFF has now requested the Interior Ministry to issue visas on arrival for the Afghan team in a last-ditch effort to salvage the match.
The October 9 fixture carries serious weight for both sides, with Pakistan and Afghanistan yet to register a point in Group E after losses to Syria and Myanmar in the latest stage of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifier. Only the group winner will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia, making Thursday’s clash a must-play, if not a must-win.