FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said he plans to visit Pakistan “very soon,” adding that football’s growth in the country is a priority he wants to support.
Infantino made the remarks in an interview with Pakistan TV Digital on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos. He said the visit has already been promised to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and praised the current leadership of the Pakistan Football Federation.
“I will come to Pakistan actually very soon. I promised the prime minister,” Infantino said, while noting that Pakistan now has a new federation president whom he described as doing “a fantastic job.”
Calling Pakistan a “great football country,” the FIFA chief said he wants to see the nation rise in Asian football.
“We need to bring Pakistan to the head, to the top of Asia for sure,” he said, adding that FIFA is working toward that goal.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he will visit Pakistan soon, citing a promise to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and confidence in the country’s new football federation leadership. "Pakistan a great football country," Infantino tells Pakistan TV Digital, saying FIFA aims to… pic.twitter.com/GRFT8k2Vhl
— Pakistan TV Digital (@PakistanTVcom) January 22, 2026
Pakistan’s engagement with FIFA has seen fresh momentum in recent months. Last month, FIFA appointed Pakistani lawmaker Syeda Amnah Batool to its Institutional Reforms Committee.
Earlier, FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa visited Pakistan in November 2025, holding meetings over a three-day trip with football officials and government representatives, where discussions reportedly focused on strengthening infrastructure and development planning.
Football continues to attract strong interest among Pakistan’s youth, and grassroots participation has been expanding in many areas. Local tournaments, school-level competitions, and community clubs in major cities have also helped increase engagement, particularly as international football leagues gain wider viewership.
Despite this rising popularity, football still operates behind cricket in Pakistan’s sporting landscape, with cricket remaining the country’s dominant sport in terms of attention and commercial value.
