- Pakistan may compete in the FIFA World Cup – Essa Khan
- Essa Khan had made 36 appearances and scored 11 goals
- FIFA states that the normalization committee’s duties include overseeing the PFF’s daily operations
Essa Khan, a former captain of the Pakistani national football team, asserted that if the team is chosen based on merit, Pakistan may compete in the FIFA World Cup.
Essa Khan, a striker for Pakistan who made 36 appearances and scored 11 goals, claimed that if the ideals of merit are respected in the selection process, “Pakistani is capable to qualify for the major event.”
“The World Cup will be increased to 48 teams from 2026 which gives Pakistan a good opportunity to qualify for the event. If Pakistan could not qualify for 2026 World Cup, I’m hopeful that they would make it in 2030 if merit is promoted and all the stakeholders are on the same page,” said the 38-year-old.
Essa was also dissatisfied with the Pakistan Football Federation Normalization Committee’s choice to match the Shaheens against Nepal in a 1-0 loss in a friendly.
“Playing a friendly match against Nepal was a waste of money,” he said. “Including diaspora players in the squad also damaged the confidence of local players.”
At the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal defeated Pakistan 1-0 thanks to Anjan Bista’s game-winning goal.
This was the men’s national team of Pakistan’s first match in more than three years.
Hassan Bashir, Adnan Yaqoob, Abdullah Iqbal, and Yousuf Butt were among the foreign athletes who had joined Pakistan’s team. Currently, all four players play club football in Denmark.
As a result of FIFA’s decision to withdraw the ban on the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which had been imposed in April 2021 as a result of excessive third-party meddling, in June of this year, Pakistan’s return to the international stage was made feasible.
FIFA also gave the Normalization Committee (NC) an additional 12 months to complete its work.
FIFA states that the normalization committee’s duties include overseeing the PFF’s daily operations, making sure Pakistani clubs are properly registered and inspected, drafting and approving an electoral code for the PFF with the help of FIFA and the AFC, organising district and provincial elections, and holding elections for a new PFF executive committee.
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