Pakistan Football Federation’s crises list will have one less task on it after today, as reportedly, after months of uncertainty and frustration, Pakistan football head coach Nolberto Solano has finally received his pending salary.
Recently, reports came to light that the Peruvian had not been paid ever since he took over the job, and this news ends a four-month delay that once again highlighted the administrative chaos surrounding the PFF.
According to sources in local media, Solano’s dues have been cleared at last, with payments also being processed for members of the national team’s coaching and support staff. While the news comes as a relief for Pakistan’s coach, it also sheds light on a recurring issue that has long plagued Pakistani football: chronic delays in player and staff payments.
This wasn’t the first time salaries were held up. In fact, such delays have almost become a common sight in the PFF, frustrating both local and foreign professionals who dedicate their time and expertise to the national setup. Previous coaches, including Stephen Constantine, domestic players, and even youth team officials have faced similar issues — often going months without pay while waiting for bureaucratic knots to untangle.
Solano, who took charge in July, has maintained a composed front publicly despite the financial troubles behind the scenes. The PFF has also not commented on the matter publicly.
With the pending salary issues behind them, both Pakistan football and the head coach can finally shift back to football — something the fans have been desperate to see for years. But for Pakistan football to move forward, experts believe the PFF must address its systemic inefficiencies and restore professional credibility at every level of the organization.
For now, though, Solano’s long-awaited paycheque offers a glimmer of good news in a sport that’s been starved of it, but unless the federation breaks this cycle of financial mismanagement, Pakistan’s football story will continue to be written more in offices than on the pitch.
