The chairperson of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalization Committee (NC) Haroon Malik has shown an interest in Karachi being one of the major cities where the Pakistan football team can play their upcoming home matches.
While conversing in the ProSports podcast, Malik confessed that People’s Football Stadium in Lyari, Karachi is his favorite.
In a recent interview, Malik stated, “People’s Stadium is a great facility which should host international matches if proper investment is made. Three to four things need to be fixed at the stadium which includes ground and seats. Within 6-8 months international football can return to Karachi.”
Pakistan hosted its first international football match last month as they hosted Cambodia in the first round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers in Jinnah Stadium Islamabad. The match was hosted at 2 pm on a weekday which caused some concern to the football fans in the country. Rather they want the matches to be held after office hours so they can come in soaring numbers.
Talking about Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad, Haroon Malik said, “Jinnah Stadium’s lights are 350 lumens, but the international requirement is 1800. We have requested the Pakistan Sports Board, who have worked really hard to improve the facility, to upgrade the lights so that we can host night matches.”
Saudi Arabia is set to host Pakistan’s national football team at Damman Stadium on 16th November 2023 for their home leg of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers 2nd Round. Pakistan will then return home to face Tajikistan at Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad on 21st November 2023.
Pakistan made history on 17th October 2023 when they defeated Cambodia 1-0 and qualified for the 2nd round of FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time in its 76 years of history.
You can watch the full ProSports podcast here:
Source: Pro Pakistani