Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) president Syed Mohsen Gilani met AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa on the sidelines of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada.
Sheikh Salman reaffirmed his full support for Pakistan football, emphasising that the stability of the PFF remains a key priority for the Asian football family.
The AFC president also expressed satisfaction over the significant progress made by the PFF over the past year, which has seen the federation make strides across multiple fronts, including the development of FIFA Arena pitches, entry into the FIFAe Nations League, the growth of the Pakistan women’s national team and the launch of the Football for Mental Health initiative in partnership with the United Nations.
The meeting was attended by PFF vice-president Hafiz Zakaullah and Chief Operating Officer Shahid Niaz Khokhar.
PFF widens Vancouver outreach with meetings across four more federations
The Pakistan Football Federation delegation continued its programme of bilateral meetings in Vancouver with four more high-profile engagements on the sidelines of the 76th FIFA Congress.
PFF president Syed Mohsen Gilani, vice-president Hafiz Zakaullah and Chief Operating Officer Shahid Niaz Khokhar held talks with the presidents of the Football Association of Thailand, the Guyana Football Federation, the Namibia Football Association and the Barbados Football Association.
The meeting with FA Thailand president Nualphan Lamsam was marked by exceptional warmth, with Mrs Lamsam extending an open invitation to Pakistan — at any level, any team — to visit Thailand, with the FA Thailand committing to host and extend full facilities to all visiting Pakistani sides.
The gesture reflects the spirit of cooperation that has defined the PFF delegation’s programme in Vancouver.
In their meeting with Guyana Football Federation president Wayne Forde, discussions covered coach education, referee development and technical exchange programmes, with both federations identifying concrete areas of shared interest.
Talks with Namibia Football Association president Robert Shimooshili focused on youth football, women’s football and the development of exchange programmes aimed at building long-term institutional ties between the two associations.
The PFF delegation’s meeting with Barbados Football Association president Randy Harris — who also serves on the FIFA Council — covered futsal development, referee education and men’s and women’s football cooperation, with both sides exploring avenues for future collaboration.
The Vancouver meetings form part of a wider diplomatic effort by the PFF leadership to build bilateral partnerships that translate into tangible development opportunities for Pakistani football at every level of the game.
PFF holds bilateral meetings with Indonesia, Turkey, Australia and Azerbaijan ahead of FIFA Congress
The Pakistan Football Federation delegation continued its busy programme in Vancouver with a series of bilateral meetings ahead of the 76th FIFA Congress.
PFF president Syed Mohsen Gilani, vice-president Hafiz Zakaullah and Chief Operating Officer Shahid Niaz Khokhar held talks with senior officials from Indonesia, Turkey, Australia and Azerbaijan, with all four countries represented by their federation presidents.
In their meeting with Indonesian Football Association president Erick Thohir, discussions focused on youth development and the establishment of exchange programmes that would open new pathways for young Pakistani footballers within Indonesia’s extensive grassroots setup.
The PFF’s meeting with Turkish Football Federation (TFF) president İbrahim Ethem Hacıosmanoğlu covered coach development and referee education — two areas where Turkey’s established football infrastructure offers considerable expertise — with both federations agreeing to explore structured cooperation.
Talks with Football Australia president Isaac Antler centred on coaching courses and youth development, with Australia’s high-performance environment identified as a strong model for Pakistani football. Both sides also exchanged ideas on innovative approaches to future collaboration.
The PFF delegation’s meeting with Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) president Rovshan Najaf focused on futsal development and exchange programmes, reflecting the growing emphasis the PFF is placing on futsal as a vehicle for broadening football participation across Pakistan.
The Vancouver meetings form part of a wider diplomatic effort by the PFF leadership to build concrete bilateral partnerships that deliver tangible development opportunities for Pakistani football at every level.
PFF chief holds high-profile meetings ahead of FIFA Congress in Canada
The Pakistan Football Federation delegation led by president Syed Mohsen Gilani held high-profile meetings after attending the 36th AFC Congress in Vancouver, Canada on Tuesday, 28 April 2026.
PFF president Mr Gilani, vice-president Hafiz Zakaullah and Chief Operating Officer Shahid Niaz Khokhar, who are in Canada for the 76th FIFA Congress on Thursday, met German Football Association (DFB) president Bernd Neuendorf, Canada Soccer president Peter Augroso, Chinese Football Federation (CFA) president Song Kai and Tajikistan Football Federation (TFF) vice-president Dzhalilov Iskandor.
The DFB offered PFF full support on several avenues including coaches education and women’s football. Mr Neuendorf extended an invitation to Pakistan players and coaches to visit Germany and learn from the high quality footballing ecosystem there.
In the meeting with Canada Soccer president, PFF president thanked Canada for their hospitality during the FIFA Congress. With Canada possessing a solid football structure, their cooperation on grassroots football and coach education courses was discussed. Talks for an exhibition series were also held, with the PFF offering its support in activating the Pakistan community in Canada.
The CFA chief hailed the diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, terming the two countries as ‘Iron Brothers’. The CFA has offered Pakistan support in futsal training with the PFF inviting Mr Kai for a visit to Pakistan. Both federations agreed to a detailed meeting after the World Cup.
The TFF, meanwhile, has offered its support in training Pakistani referees, whilst also assisting in coaching of goalkeepers. Cooperation on women’s football development was also discussed.
Tuesday’s meetings were part of a detailed programme of the PFF delegation in Canada, where it will also be meeting officials from several other federations to discuss avenues of football development.
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