The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Syed Mohsen Gilani has pledged to advocate for greater representation of football stakeholders in the federation's upcoming constitution, declaring that the future of Pakistan football must be built on inclusivity, transparency and shared decision-making rather than the concentration of power.
Addressing a press conference after a two-day FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) governance workshop in Islamabad, Gilani said the ongoing constitutional reform process presents a historic opportunity to reshape football administration in Pakistan and create a governance model that reflects the interests of the entire football community.
"I am not interested in constitutional changes that increase the powers of the PFF president," Gilani said. "My priority is to ensure greater representation for all stakeholders who contribute to the growth and development of football in Pakistan."
The PFF chief emphasised that the new constitutional framework should provide meaningful participation to provincial associations, clubs, women's football, futsal, beach soccer, eFootball and other sectors of the game, ensuring that decision-making is broad-based and representative.
The workshop, led by FIFA Head of Member Associations Governance Rolf Tanner and AFC South Asia Unit Senior Manager Sonam Jigmi, focused on aligning Pakistan's football governance structure with international standards. Discussions covered democratic representation, electoral processes, institutional independence, integrity safeguards, financial oversight and stakeholder engagement.
Tanner praised the active participation of football stakeholders during the sessions and described the workshop as an important milestone in building confidence around the reform agenda. He noted that the proposed governance framework would not be limited to the national federation but would eventually be extended to provincial and district football structures across the country.
Gilani also unveiled plans to professionalize football administration at the provincial level with FIFA and AFC support. The initiative includes recruiting qualified general secretaries for provincial associations to strengthen governance, improve operational efficiency and facilitate the implementation of development programmes.
According to PFF officials, the constitutional review process will continue through extensive consultations with stakeholders from across the football ecosystem before the final document is approved. The PFF, FIFA and AFC reaffirmed their commitment to establishing a modern, transparent and accountable governance structure, a move widely viewed as a crucial step toward unlocking the long-term growth and potential of football in Pakistan.
