FIFA president Infantino announces visit to Pakistan to promote football
Sports
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has announced he will soon visit Pakistan to boost football, praising the Pakistan Football Federation and expressing hopes for Pakistan to become a top Asian team.
DAVOS (Dunya News) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino has announced plans to visit Pakistan soon to promote the game of football.
In an interview in Davos, Infantino said he had promised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to visit Pakistan and is now set to make the trip.
He praised the new leadership of thePakistan Football Federation, calling Pakistan a “great football country” and expressing his hope that Pakistan becomes one of Asia’s top teams.
Infantino added that FIFA is actively working to support Pakistan in reaching this goal.
Relations between FIFA and Pakistan have strengthened over time. Last month, Pakistani lawmaker Syeda Amna Batool was appointed to FIFA’s institutional reforms committee.
FIFA senior vice president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa visited Pakistan in November 2025. During his three-day trip, he met football officials and government representatives to discuss the development of football infrastructure in the country.
Football has long been popular among Pakistani youth, and recent years have seen growing interest at international levels.
Local tournaments, school competitions, and community clubs in major cities have further fueled enthusiasm. Still, football continues to operate in the shadow of cricket, which has remained Pakistan’s most popular and lucrative sport for decades.
