![PFF launches a new era of domestic football: From U-17 talent to national level [TNS]](https://footballpakistan.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/PFF-president-Mohsen-Gilani-VP-Hafiz-Zakaullah-COO-Shahid-Khokhar-with-AFC-President-Sheikh-Salman.jpeg "PFF launches a new era of domestic football: From U-17 talent to national level [TNS]")
by Sarfraz Ahmed
Pakistan football is entering a promising new phase as the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), under the dynamic leadership of President Syed Mohsen Gilani and the technical expertise of Chief Operating Officer (COO) Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar, has launched a renewed drive to revive domestic competitions and develop the country’s next generation of football stars.
The commencement of the U-17 National Championship marks an important step towards rebuilding football’s talent pipeline, with a clear vision: provide promising players from every province, city and remote region a fair platform to demonstrate their abilities and progress through a professional pathway from junior to senior football.
Under this approach, talented youngsters will have opportunities to advance from local and district competitions to provincial and national events, and ultimately towards international representation. The objective is to create a systematic route through which the best performers can progress towards the men’s senior national team on merit.
The U-17 National Championship represents the foundation of this renewed development model. Teams representing every province are being provided opportunities to compete, with the PFF bearing the participating teams’ expenses to facilitate broader access and participation.A five-member committee comprising qualified personnel was formed to assess players’ performances, with a pool of 50 players identified for further consideration and development. Such structured assessment can help ensure that promising talent is recognised through performance rather than personal connections.
The intended pathway extends beyond the U-17 level to higher age-group competitions, including the SAFF U-19 Championship and AFC qualifiers, creating progressive opportunities for players to demonstrate their readiness for increasingly demanding competitions.
Under President Mohsen Gilani’s vision, the ambition is to establish a sustainable football nursery in which emerging players receive the training, exposure and guidance needed to become future national-team representatives.
Shahid Khokhar brings experience in organising domestic football events and is expected to play a central role in translating the federation’s vision into practical results. Working under Gilani’s leadership, the COO and his team are focusing on identifying, training and grooming talented youngsters while improving the professional standards of domestic competitions.
The initiative has also placed emphasis on player welfare. Feedback from participants highlighted improvements in accommodation and food, while the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) provided facilities for the championship, which were also highly commended. The technical arrangements included a five-member technical staff structure, physiotherapy support and a safeguarding officer.
A FIFA safeguarding officer also conducted a workshop for safeguarding personnel to strengthen protection measures for participating players. Plans for round-the-clock medical support and medical centres at every competition would further reinforce the commitment to player safety and wellbeing. Meanwhile, the semifinals and final were broadcast live, offering greater visibility to young footballers and helping reconnect supporters with domestic football.
The federation’s wider plans include club-based district football championships, stronger domestic competition structures and substantial prize money described as the biggest in PFF history. The inclusion of district-level clubs could broaden participation and create additional opportunities for talent to emerge beyond established football centres.
On this initiative, Shahid Niaz Khokhar said: “We have taken this initiative to provide our best talent with the best opportunities to excel and win laurels for themselves and their country at national and international levels. We are committed to giving our best and will leave no stone unturned in making this initiative a success. We have utilised our best coaches and technical officials to identify, train and groom promising players. Our ultimate objective is to take Pakistan football to new heights through sincere and dedicated efforts.”
The ambition is encouraging, but lasting success will require patience, continuity, transparent selection and back-to-back competitions. Talent development cannot be achieved overnight; it demands sustained coaching, competitive exposure, merit-based progression and consistent investment.
Under Mohsen Gilani’s vision and Shahid Khokhar’s technical stewardship, the PFF has an opportunity to rebuild confidence in domestic football and create a genuine pathway from junior competitions to senior international representation. If these initiatives are implemented consistently and fairly, Pakistan can begin transforming its untapped potential into a new generation of football champions.
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