![Infantino pledges support as Pak football re-emerges [FIFA.com]](https://footballpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PFF-president-Syed-Mohsen-Gilani-meets-FIFA-president-Gianni-Infantino-during-2025-FIFA-Executive-Summit-in-Miami.jpg "Infantino pledges support as Pak football re-emerges [FIFA.com]")
- Meeting held at the FIFA Executive Football Summit 2025 in Miami, United States
- Pakistan Football Federation approved a new constitution last February and held its first presidential election in six years in May 2025
- Pakistan’s national teams are making historic strides in FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ qualifying, with more competitive opportunities on the horizon
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) took an important step in its reintegration into the FIFA family as newly-elected PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani met for the first time with FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the FIFA Executive Football Summit 2025.
“I was very happy to meet the new Pakistan Football Federation President, Syed Mohsen Gilani, in Miami to understand his football development plans and how FIFA can continue to support the sport in his country,” Mr Infantino said of the discussions which were held on the sidelines of the ongoing FIFA Club World Cup 2025™.
Mr Gilani has been on the job for just a few weeks, having been elected at the end of May 2025. It was the PFF’s first presidential election since 2015, and it followed the 2019 appointment of a Normalisation Committee and then the approval of a new constitution last February.
“We are a federation that [has experienced] some turbulent years. We did not have an election for quite some time, but we are here now and we are here to build football together with FIFA,” Mr Gilani said, adding that his meeting with the FIFA President, “was really good. We worked on a few priority areas for Pakistani football in the future”.
Nascent signs of growth are evident. Pakistan’s men’s national team won a FIFA World Cup qualifier for the first time in their history in October 2023, defeating Cambodia 1-0 in Islamabad. Thanks in part to that victory, they remain in contention for a spot in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. Notably, the women’s side has entered both the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ and AFC Women’s Asian Cup for the first time. They will make their qualifying debut on 29 June against Chinese Taipei.
Mr Infantino would like to see Pakistan enjoy even more competitive opportunities.
“We touched upon key topics such as the development of women’s football and the men’s team potentially participating in next year’s FIFA Series,” the FIFA President said.
This month, the PFF was formally invited to participate in the FIFA Football for Schools programme.
While new to his current position, Mr Gilani is no stranger to football administration or FIFA. The PFF President is an alumnus of the FIFA Masters organised by the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES), having earned his International Masters in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport in 2003. He has worked in football finance, contributed to multiple FIFA reports and studies, held a seat on the FIFA Master Alumni Association board, and served as a vice president of Swedish women’s club, Umeå IK.
“President Gilani brings significant experience and football management know-how to the role, and I look forward to seeing our game take positive strides under his leadership,” Mr Infantino said. “It was my great pleasure to also receive a special scarf as gift, and I expressed my thanks to the Pakistan Football Federation, while assuring them of FIFA’s backing for their football plans.”
The scarf presented to the FIFA President is called an ajrak, and it was described by Mr Gilani as an ancient “mark of honour”.
The PFF President added, “It symbolises a long-lasting, very good friendship”.
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