![Mohsin Naqvi says Afghanistan’s visa issues for Asian Cup qualifier resolved [Dawn]](https://footballpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Pakistan-Afghanistan-2027-AFC-Asian-Cup-qualifiers.jpeg "Mohsin Naqvi says Afghanistan’s visa issues for Asian Cup qualifier resolved [Dawn]")
Visa issues surrounding Afghanistan’s football team being able to play in Pakistan have been sorted out, allowing the team to travel to Islamabad for Thursday’s AFC Asian Cup qualifier at the Jinnah Stadium, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Pakistan Football Federation president Mohsen Gilani said that its Afghanistan counterpart had failed to ensure the presence of its full travelling squad at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul for biometric verification, as most of the players were not living in the country.
The Afghanistan Football Federation was quoted by the Afghan Voice Agency as stating that it had sent the initial list of team members to the Pakistan Embassy on September 18, but “despite repeated follow-ups and official contacts, visas have not been issued to the players and officials”.
Today, Minister Naqvi took to X to announce the issue had been sorted out.
“Issued now,” he said in response to journalist Faizan Lakhani’s post saying the minister has ordered to sort out the visa issue of the Afghanistan football team.
“Thank you for highlighting it,” Naqvi added.
Uncertainty surrounded the qualifier due to the latter failing to secure visas for its players earlier.
Reports from Afghanistan said that all of its national team players had gathered in Dubai on Tuesday evening, and they were awaiting visa clearance.
Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are pointless after losing their opening two matches in Group ‘E’ against Syria and Myanmar. The two sides have a double-header in this international window, with Afghanistan to host Pakistan in Al Ardiya, Kuwait, for the return game on October 14.
The winner of the group advances to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Published on Dawn, 8 October 2025
PFF press release adds:
Afghanistan Football team to arrive in Islamabad tonight
Islamabad – The Afghanistan national football team will arrive in Islamabad tonight at 7:00 PM from Dubai to take part in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifier against Pakistan.
Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) President Syed Mohsen Gilani expressed his gratitude to the Government of Pakistan for ensuring all arrangements were made in a timely and efficient manner.
“We are thankful to the Government of Pakistan for their support and coordination in facilitating the arrival of the Afghanistan team,” said PFF President Mohsen Gilani.
“I would also like to acknowledge and extend my sincere appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Pakistan Sports Board and the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) for their full cooperation,” he added.
The Pakistan vs Afghanistan AFC Asian Cup Qualifier will be played as scheduled tomorrow (October 9) at 2:00 PM in Islamabad.