Pakistan Women’s Football finds its global moment under Gilani’s leadership
By Nawaz Gohar ; After decades on the fringes of international football, Pakistan’s women’s national team has finally earned its place on a FIFA-backed global platform, marking a watershed moment in the country’s sporting history.
Their maiden entry into the FIFA Series is not merely a competitive opportunity but a reflection of a fundamental shift in governance, intent, and international engagement within the Pakistan Football Federation. The breakthrough underscores how purposeful leadership and strategic diplomacy can translate long-standing aspirations into concrete global recognition.
What sets this moment apart is not merely Pakistan’s inclusion in the FIFA Series, but the process through which it was achieved. Gilani inherited a federation plagued by isolation, governance challenges, and eroded credibility.
Rebuilding international trust was neither immediate nor easy, yet through sustained engagement with FIFA and regional bodies, he managed to restore Pakistan’s standing within the global football community. The acceptance of Pakistan’s women’s team into the FIFA Series is a tangible outcome of that diplomatic reset.
For Pakistan’s women footballers, this opportunity carries significance far beyond fixtures and results. The FIFA Series provides exposure to international playing standards, professional environments, and cross-continental competition, elements that have historically been absent from the women’s game in the country.
Ranked 154th in the FIFA Women’s World Rankings, Pakistan may enter as underdogs, but participation itself is a crucial step toward narrowing the competitive gap and building long-term confidence.
Equally important is the philosophical shift this moment represents within the Pakistan Football Federation. Under Gilani’s leadership, women’s football has moved from symbolic inclusion to purposeful investment. The message is clear: empowerment is not achieved through rhetoric, but through access, opportunity, and representation at the highest level. For young girls watching from schools, streets, and local grounds, seeing Pakistan compete in a FIFA event transforms football from a distant aspiration into a credible pathway.
This development also challenges deeply entrenched social perceptions around women in sport. In a country where female athletes often battle cultural resistance as much as sporting opponents, international visibility becomes a powerful agent of change. Each appearance on a FIFA platform reinforces the idea that Pakistani women belong on global stages, not as exceptions, but as competitors.
Crucially, this milestone should be viewed not as an endpoint, but as a foundation. Sustainable progress will require continued planning, grassroots development, regular international exposure, and institutional consistency. Yet for the first time in years, there is a sense of direction. Under Mohsen Gilani’s stewardship, Pakistan football—particularly its women’s segment, appears aligned with a future defined by inclusion, credibility, and ambition.
History will remember this moment as the one where doors finally opened. Whether Pakistan walks through them with purpose will depend on continuity of vision. For now, the breakthrough belongs squarely to leadership that dared to think globally and act decisively.
