Pakistan's Super Football League championship kicks-off at Peoples Stadium Lyari on Friday evening with Karachi Bazigar meeting Lahore Lajpal. The SFL will play 20 matches over 52-days in stadiums in Karachi, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore and Quetta. Participating teams will meet twice and the final will be played on 9 September. The SFL marks a new stage in Pakistan Football Federation President Faisal Saleh Hayat's modernisation plan. He abolished the National Championship by replacing it with League system in 2004, followed by launching of first-ever National Women Championship and National Soccer Challenge Cup in 2005. In 2006 he launched the National C-Division Soccer League.
He has pledged to continue his drive to youth development, women's football and to professionalise the game in Pakistan. “We have achieved a lot in the last four years. It will be my endeavour to see that Pakistan football is one day recognised as the best, at least in Asia. We need to set the highest benchmark possible in terms of professionalism,” Faisal said, as quoted by the Pakistan Times.
He has pledged to continue his drive to youth development, women's football and to professionalise the game in Pakistan. “We have achieved a lot in the last four years. It will be my endeavour to see that Pakistan football is one day recognised as the best, at least in Asia. We need to set the highest benchmark possible in terms of professionalism,” Faisal said, as quoted by the Pakistan Times.