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ISLAMABAD: For the first time in history, Pakistan&#39;s women&#39;s national football team will compete at a FIFA event. The side will depart for C&ocirc;te d&#39;Ivoire on Monday to take part in the FIFA Series. At a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, head coach Adeel Rizki, captain Maria Khan, and Women&#39;s Football Department Director Mejzgaan Orakzai each delivered the same message: the team is going to win. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 625px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2040781463344586997&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F5132%2F&sessionId=6b5c2d37e05a447bcfac632cf01bdc99b47cdca8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><div class="fr-embed"><div><div> &quot;I believe this is one of the strongest squads we&#39;ve had so far,&quot; Rizki said. &quot;We expect to go there and compete at the highest level and make Pakistan proud.&quot;</div></div></div> Pakistan will face Turks and Caicos Islands, Mauritania, and host nation Ivory Coast, all outside the team&#39;s usual AFC confederation. Women&#39;s Football Department Director Mejzgaan Orakzai said the invitation was secured through the direct efforts of PFF President Mohsen Gilani. &quot;Without his personal involvement and the collaboration of PFF staff, we wouldn&#39;t have been able to do this,&quot; Orakzai said. Captain Maria Khan said Ivory Coast&#39;s World Cup experience changes nothing. Her team has faced that level before. &quot;We played the Philippines, which was also a World Cup team,&quot; she said. &quot;The pressure is on Ivory Coast. It&#39;s not on us.&quot; Maria Khan cited one development as proof of how far the program has come. Several players in the squad are arriving directly from professional club football. &quot;That is one of the best signs for our national team,&quot; she said. On selection, the head coach dismissed any divide between diaspora and local players. &quot;The question is always: which Pakistani player is best suited for which position,&quot; he said. The head coach outlined the program&#39;s targets in order: the SAFF Championship, Asian qualifier berths, then Olympic and World Cup qualification. Meanwhile, Mejzgaan Orakzai stated the PFF Women&#39;s Football Department, which operates as an all-women unit, is also working to build pathways for women coaches, referees, and administrators across all levels of the game.

Pakistan Women’s National Team Captain Maria Khan, alongside Head Coach Adeel Rizki and PFF Director Mejzgaan Orakzai, addresses the media in Lahore on Sunday, April 5, 2026. (PFF)

Football

Pakistan’s women’s football team will compete in a FIFA event for the first time, traveling to Côte d’Ivoire for the FIFA Series as officials express confidence in strong performance.

Pakistan women’s football team makes historic FIFA debut, targets victory

KINSHASSA: Delirious football fans took to the soaked streets of the capital, Kinshasa and danced into the night in the rain after the Democratic Republic of Congo reached the World Cup for the first time in 52 years. Defender Axel Tuanzebe, who plays in the Premier League for Burnley, was the hero with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Jamaica after extra time in an intercontinental playoff in Mexico on Tuesday. The central African nation will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the finals in North America this summer. At the 1974 finals in West Germany, the team competed as Zaire and were beaten by Scotland, Yugoslavia and Brazil. &quot;We gave it our all, right here in the rain!&quot; shouted Beni Ile, a fan in Kinshasa whose shoulders were draped in a soaked DRC flag. &quot;We won&#39;t be working on Wednesday! It&#39;s going to be a national holiday. We&#39;re going to celebrate and party all night long. &quot;We&#39;ve been waiting 50 years for this. We&#39;re staying out until dawn.&quot; It was a scene replicated across the city of 17 million people, where the final whistle in Guadalajara was greeted by a cacophony of banging pots, car horns and whistles. The win completed a dramatic qualification campaign for the team nicknamed the Leopards, who eliminated African football giants Nigeria and Cameroon on their way to Tuesday&#39;s playoff. As early as the morning of the big match, many residents of the DRC capital were already sporting the sky-blue jersey of their beloved national side. By evening, several hundred fans had gathered in a square in the city centre in anticipation of watching the game. Even as the rain bucketed down, the conclusion of the match after 120 nervy minutes was met with an outpouring of national pride and relief. It was also a rare moment of national unity in a country scarred by 30 years of conflict and the resurgence of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group. &quot;It&#39;s truly exceptional, we are very proud of the Leopards today for this feat,&quot; said Merou, who comes from Goma, a major city in eastern DRC that fell into M23 hands in January 2025. &quot;This victory will unify the Congo. &quot;We hope the whole country will benefit from it,&quot; he added, standing in the pouring rain. Another overjoyed supporter, Maclain, said: &quot;We deserve a moment of happiness, away from the gunfire. &quot;We need to come together too.&quot;

Richard King of Jamaica is challenged by Axel Tuanzebe of Congo DR during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off tournament final match between Congo DR v Jamaica at Estadio Guadalajara on March 31, 2026, in Zapopan, Mexico. (Photo: AFP)

The central African nation will face Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K at the finals in North America this summer.

DR Congo fans dance in the rain after sealing World Cup spot

ISLAMABAD: The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) fined the Israel Football Association (IFA) on Thursday for multiple breaches related to discrimination and violations of fair play, according to a report by the disciplinary committee of world football&rsquo;s governing body. The report found the IFA &ldquo;failed to take meaningful action against Beitar Jerusalem&rdquo; for &ldquo;persistent and well-documented racist behaviour&rdquo;. Beitar is one of the most popular football clubs in Israel, winning 6 national championships. The decision came after a proposal by the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) at the 74th FIFA Congress, which led to an investigation into IFA&rsquo;s discriminatory conduct. The committee found that the IFA had committed &ldquo;multiple breaches of its obligations as a FIFA Member Association,&rdquo; including violations of articles concerning &ldquo;offensive behaviour and violations of the principles of fair play&rdquo; as well as &ldquo;discrimination and racist abuse.&rdquo; SanctionsThe IFA has been fined $190,000 and issued a formal warning regarding its conduct. Additionally, the association has been sanctioned to follow a framework aimed at addressing and preventing discrimination. The committee has ordered that the IFA display the text, &ldquo;Football Unites the World &ndash; No to Discrimination&rdquo; alongside the Israel Football Association&rsquo;s logo, during its next three home matches in FIFA competitions. While acknowledging the wider role of sports, FIFA said, &ldquo;the sport must remain a platform for peace, dialogue, and mutual respect,&rdquo; the report concluded that these values hold greater importance, &ldquo;especially in times of conflict and division.&rdquo;

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) fines the Israel Football Association (IFA) $ 190,000 for multiple breaches related to discrimination, racism, and violations of fair play.

FIFA fines Israeli Football Association over racism and discrimination

PARIS: FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Thursday underlined the body&#39;s commitment to making sure the World Cup goes ahead &quot;as scheduled&quot; with &quot;all teams&quot; taking part amid doubts about Iran&#39;s presence at the tournament.&nbsp;&quot;FIFA is looking forward to all teams participating at the World Cup to compete in a spirit of fair play and mutual respect,&quot; Infantino said from Zurich during an online FIFA Council meeting.&nbsp;&quot;We have a schedule. We will soon have the 48 competing teams confirmed, and we want the World Cup to go ahead as scheduled.&quot;&nbsp;Iran&#39;s participation has been shrouded in doubt due to the conflict in the Middle East.&nbsp;They are due to play group games in the United States, against New Zealand and Belgium in Los Angeles and in Seattle against Egypt.&nbsp;However, Iranian football federation president Mehdi Taj indicated that as a result of the US-Israeli attacks on his country he wanted its matches moved to one of the other host nations ,Canada and Mexico will host the World Cup with the United States.&nbsp;&quot;We will be preparing for the World Cup. We will boycott the United States but not the World Cup,&quot; Taj said in the video released on Wednesday.&nbsp;Iran&#39;s football federation says it has opened talks with FIFA about potentially relocating its matches.&nbsp;Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that her country is prepared to host Iran&#39;s first-round matches if required.&nbsp;&quot;FIFA can&#39;t solve geopolitical conflicts, but we are committed to using the power of football and the World Cup to build bridges and promote peace as our thoughts are with those who are suffering as a consequence of the ongoing wars,&quot; added Infantino.

FIFA said the World Cup will go ahead as scheduled with all teams, despite uncertainty over Iran’s participation, as Tehran seeks to move its US matches elsewhere and Mexico says it is ready to host them.

FIFA planning for World Cup to 'go ahead as scheduled' amid Iran uncertainty

PARIS: International transfer fees in men&#39;s football hit a record $13.08 billion (10.9 billion euros) in 2025, world football&#39;s governing body said Wednesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fifa-president-to-visit-pakistan-soon-after-promise-to-pm-sharif" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">FIFA</a> said in its annual Global Transfer Market report that 86,158 international transfers were completed in 2025, setting a record.&nbsp;Women&#39;s football accounted for 2,440 transfers (+6.3%) and total spending of $28.6 million, a year-on-year increase of more than 80%.&nbsp;The joint transfer total from men&#39;s and women&#39;s football, professional and amateur, of $13.11 billion represents more than 50% above 2024 spending and 35.6% above the previous record set in 2023.&nbsp;In men&#39;s professional football, clubs from England were once again both the number-one spender and the number-one recipient of transfer fees, with $3.82 billion spent on incoming transfers and $1.77b received for outgoing transfers in 2025.&nbsp;Brazilian clubs led the way in total transfers, with 1,190 incoming and 1,005 outgoing.&nbsp;French players were the most expensive ($1.67 billion), followed by Brazilians ($1.21 billion).&nbsp;The three biggest spending clubs were Premier League outfits Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea.&nbsp;City take top spot from current Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, who do not now figure in a top 20 dominated by 11 English clubs.

In 2025, football transfers hit a record $13.08 billion. England spent and earned the most, Brazil had the most transfers, French players were the priciest, and Manchester City, Liverpool, and Chelsea were top spenders.

Men's football transfer fees hit record $13B: FIFA

Saqib Tanveer

DAVOS: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has said he will visit Pakistan in the near future, reaffirming his commitment to support the country&rsquo;s football development and expressing confidence in its long-term potential.&nbsp;Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Infantino said he had promised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that he would travel to Pakistan soon.&nbsp;He praised the leadership of the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), saying it is doing &ldquo;a fantastic job&rdquo; in reviving and strengthening the game.&nbsp;Describing Pakistan as a &ldquo;great football country,&rdquo; Infantino said FIFA&rsquo;s objective is to help elevate Pakistan to the top tier of Asian football by ensuring opportunities for emerging talent across the country.&nbsp;FIFA Chief of Global Football Development and former Arsenal manager Ars&egrave;ne Wenger echoed similar views, saying Pakistan&rsquo;s population of 250 million represents a vast opportunity for football growth.&nbsp;&ldquo;There is a huge potential [in the country],&rdquo; Wenger told Pakistan TV Digital, stressing that it must be developed in partnership with FIFA.&nbsp;He stressed that establishing football academies and strengthening youth development are essential first steps in building a sustainable football structure.&nbsp;Wenger said nurturing the game at the grassroots level is critical for translating Pakistan&rsquo;s demographic strength into on-field success.&nbsp;The statements from FIFA&rsquo;s top leadership signal renewed momentum for Pakistan football, with a focus on institutional reform, youth development, and long-term growth aimed at restoring the country&rsquo;s standing in Asian football.

Speaking to Pakistan TV Digital, FIFA President Gianni Infantino says he will visit Pakistan soon, praising the PFF’s leadership and aiming to elevate the country’s football potential.

FIFA president to visit Pakistan ‘soon’ after ‘promise’ to PM Sharif

WASHINGTON: Holders Argentina and leading contenders Spain and England were all handed kind draws for the 2026 World Cup in a star-studded ceremony on Friday, which saw US President Donald Trump receive FIFA&#39;s new peace prize. The event in Washington started the final countdown to the tournament, six months out from the first-ever 48-team World Cup, with much-fancied France among those receiving a harder task. Lionel Messi&#39;s Argentina will begin their defense of the trophy they won in Qatar in 2022 against Algeria, and will also face Austria and debutants Jordan in Group J. Heavily-fancied Spain, the European champions, will kick off against first-time qualfiers Cape Verde before also taking on Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group H. Thomas Tuchel&#39;s England will meet Croatia, Ghana and Panama in a kind-looking Group L. Two-time winners France, meanwhile, face awkward tests against Senegal and Erling Haaland&#39;s Norway in Group I, which will be completed by an intercontinental play-off winner from either Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname. The 2026 tournament will be held across the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19, with 16 more teams added to the global showpiece, up from the 32 nations involved in Qatar in 2022. That means a total of 104 matches, compared to 64 games last time. While the US will host the majority of matches including the final at the MetLife Stadium outside New York, three of the 16 venues will be in Mexico and two in Canada. &quot;We&#39;ve worked closely with those two countries, and the coordination and friendship and relationship has been outstanding,&quot; Trump said at the Kennedy Center after receiving his prize from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. &quot;It is truly one of the great honors of my life. It is such an honor to be with Gianni. He has done such an incredible job,&quot; he added. &quot;The world is a safer place now. The United States a year ago was not going too well but now it is the hottest country&nbsp;anywhere in the world.&quot; Brazil face MoroccoTrump seized the limelight, but Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum were also in attendance. While snow fell outside amid freezing temperatures in the US capital, some of the biggest stars in the American sport and entertainment world appeared on stage inside. The event was co-hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum and American actor and comedian Kevin Hart, and featured performances by the Village People, Robbie Williams and Andrea Bocelli. NFL legend Tom Brady, ice hockey icon Wayne Gretzky and former NBA superstar Shaquille O&#39;Neal were among the stars helping to conduct the draw. Elsewhere in the draw, co-hosts Mexico will take on South Africa in Group A in the opening game of the tournament at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11. Carlo Ancelotti&#39;s Brazil and surprise 2022 semi-finalists Morocco came out together in Group C, which also features Scotland and Haiti. Germany&#39;s opponents in Group E will be Ivory Coast, Ecuador and Caribbean minnows Curacao, while Cristiano Ronaldo&#39;s Portugal will face Uzbekistan, Colombia and a play-off winner. &#39;Greatest event in humanity&#39;&nbsp;Co-hosts the United States got a manageable draw, with Paraguay, Australia and a European play-off winner in Group D. &quot;It will be the greatest World Cup ever, the greatest event that humanity has ever seen. We have three beautiful countries, 16 wonderful host cities, 48 excellent teams who will compete in 104 matches to become the one and only world champion,&quot; Infantino said. &quot;This is like 104 Super Bowls in one month -- this is the magnitude of what we are organizing,&quot; he added of the tournament. Six finals berths are still to be decided in playoffs to take place in March. Because of the complexity, teams will only learn the full details of their match venues and kick-off times on Saturday, a day after the draw.

Holders Argentina and leading contenders Spain and England were all handed kind draws for the 2026 World Cup in a star-studded ceremony

2026 World Cup Draw: Who’s playing who

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump on Friday won FIFA&#39;s new peace prize, which is to &quot;recognize the enormous efforts of those individuals who unite people, bringing hope for future generations.&quot; The award was presented at the ceremony in Washington for the draw for 2026 World Cup tournament, which the United States will co-host with Mexico and Canada.

Americas

US President Donald Trump received FIFA’s newly introduced peace prize in Washington during the 2026 World Cup draw ceremony, honoring efforts to promote unity and hope. The tournament will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada

Trump wins FIFA's new peace prize

LISBON: Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo can play in the opening matches of the 2026 World Cup after global football governing body FIFA gave him a partially &quot;suspended&quot; ban on Tuesday following a red card.&nbsp;The 40-year-old was sent off as Portugal lost 2-0 in Dublin earlier in November when he elbowed Dara O&#39;Shea in the back, for his first dismissal in 226 international appearances.&nbsp;FIFA banned Ronaldo for three matches, two of which will be suspended and the other has already been served, when Portugal sealed their qualification for next summer&#39;s tournament against Armenia.&nbsp;&quot;In line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the serving of the two remaining matches has been suspended under a one-year probation period,&quot; said FIFA in a statement given to AFP.&nbsp;&quot;If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately at the next official (Portugal) matches.&quot;&nbsp;Ronaldo, the men&#39;s all-time top goalscorer in international football with 143 goals, is aiming to play at a sixth World Cup next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.&nbsp;The former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker, currently at Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has not yet lifted the trophy but did win Euro 2016 with Portugal.&nbsp;Ronaldo attended a dinner in the White House last week where he met US President Donald Trump, who said his son Barron &quot;is a big fan&quot; of the forward.&nbsp;The World Cup group stage draw takes place on December 5.

Cristiano Ronaldo can play Portugal’s 2026 World Cup opener after FIFA suspended two of his three-match bans. Having already served one match, he remains eligible unless he commits a similar offence during a one-year probation period.

Ronaldo cleared for 2026 World Cup opener after FIFA suspends ban

ZURICH: Spain still topped the FIFA men&rsquo;s world rankings published Friday that show Germany back on track to be a top-seeded team in the World Cup finals tournament draw on December 5 involving US President Donald Trump.&nbsp;Germany rose two places to No. 10 after back-to-back wins in a World Cup qualifying group against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland. Germany had lost its opening qualifier last month against Slovakia.&nbsp;Croatia, runner-up at the 2018 World Cup and a semifinalist in the 2022 edition, fell to No. 11 after drawing one of its games at the Czech Republic last week.&nbsp;The 12 top-seeded nations in the 48-team draw will be the three co-hosts, the United States, Canada and Mexico plus the nine highest-ranked direct qualifiers in the updated FIFA rankings for November.&nbsp;Current No. 9 Italy is likely heading to European playoffs in March as runner-up in a qualifying group led by Norway, meaning the No. 10-ranked team should be assured of avoiding other top-seeded nations in the draw for the June 11-July 19 tournament.&nbsp;Spain leads from World Cup title holder Argentina, followed by No. 3 France, England, Portugal, the Netherlands, Brazil and Belgium in eighth.&nbsp;The World Cup draw seedings will follow the FIFA rankings through pots 2 and 3, with pot 4 including the six lowest-ranked direct qualifiers plus six placeholders awaiting the winners of playoffs in March.&nbsp;Four European teams will advance through playoffs, and two more places are on offer in a global bracket of six non-European teams that will include Bolivia and New Caledonia.

Spain stayed atop FIFA men’s rankings as Germany rose to tenth, securing a likely top seed for the 2026 World Cup draw, while Croatia slipped and Italy faces playoffs.

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