The Pakistan Fooball Federation (PFF) announced a 27-member preliminary squad for the Pakistan men’s national team for their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Syria on 25 March 2025. The match will be an away fixture held in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.
Returning head coach Stephen Constantine made some changes in the preliminary list for this fixture. Midfielder Otis Khan was dropped, while defender Muhammad Sadam missed out due to injury. Cambodia game hero Harun Hamid and Abdul Samad Arshad make a return to the squad having been dropped for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia and Tajikistan back in June 2024.
Defender Easah Suliman, who last played for Pakistan in March 2024 against Jordan, also named in preliminary squad as he recovers from an ACL injury sustained over the summer. Left-back Junaid Shah also returns having last played in November 2023 against Tajikistan at home. Defender Abdullah Shah remains on sidelines, while midfielders Adil Nabi and Etzaz Hussain remain unselected.
This will be Pakistan MNT’s first game since June 2024’s WCQs owing to administrative and fiscal issues at the PFF NC meant multiple FIFA international windows could not be availed. The one-month FIFA ban that ended on 2 March had previously thrown Pakistan’s participation in ACQs in turmoil.
However, the PFF Congress finally approving FIFA-mandated constitutional reforms on 27 February meant timely lifting of FIFA suspension and return of Pakistan in the Asian Cup qualifiers. Pakistan is in Group E of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers final round, featuring top seed Syria, Myanmar and Afghanistan.
Most of the preliminary squad will meet early and begin training, most likely in Saudi Arabia with the PFF Normalisation Committee working to secure requisite funding from FIFA and AFC in this regard.
Goalkeepers: Yousuf Ijaz Butt, Saqib Hanif, Abdul Basit, Adam Najeeb Khan.
Defenders: Rao Muhammad Umar Hayat, Abdullah Iqbal, Easah Suliman, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Haseeb Ahmed Khan, Abdul Rehman, Junaid Ahmed Shah, Mohammad Fazal, Waqar Ihtisham Baloch.
Midfielders: Alamgir Ali Khan Ghazi, Ali Uzair Mahmood Gujjar, Ali Zafar Hazara, Rahis Nabi, Toqeer ul Hassan, Umair Ali, Moin Ahmed.
Attackers: Fareedullah Khan, Harun Hamid, Imran Shahid Kayani, McKeal Aroon Abdullah, Abdul Samad Shahzad Arshad, Shayek Dost, Adeel Younas.
