Latest news with #FIFA-appointed
Express Tribune
24-07-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
'Nobby' Solano appointed Pak coach
Pakistan's embattled football federation has appointed former Newcastle United cult hero Nolberto 'Nobby' Solano as coach of their national teams to try to improve their dreadful record of never qualifying for a major tournament. Solano, 50, who also played for Aston Villa and West Ham United in the English Premier League before retiring in 2012, was an assistant coach for his country Peru when they qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. "We have hired the services of Solano with a hope that he will bring more energy and zest to the national players and lift our standings at the international level," the Pakistan Football Federation president, Mohsen Gilani, said in a statement. The cricket-obsessed nation has reached the second round of Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup only once. Pakistan are 201st of 210 teams the in FIFA world men's team rankings, and have sought to improve standards by inducting players of Pakistan heritage based in the UK. Pakistan football has suffered badly from political parties fighting over control of the federation, which receives a large annual grant from world governing body FIFA. The federation was for 10 years run by a FIFA-appointed committee and earlier this year briefly suspended for political interference ahead of elections in May. FIFA in 2021 banned Pakistan from playing international matches for 15 months, also for political interference in the federation. Solano's first task will be with the under-23s men's team, who are due to face Cambodia, Iraq and Oman in September in qualifying for the U23 Asian Cup next year. Solano's first matches in charge of the senior team will be a double-header against Afghanistan in 2027 Asian Cup qualifying in October. Pakistan kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 away defeat to Syria in March and a 1-0 loss to Myanmar in Yangon last month.
Business Recorder
22-07-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Newcastle cult hero ‘Nobby' Solano appointed Pakistan coach
KARACHI: Pakistan's embattled football federation has appointed former Newcastle United cult hero Nolberto 'Nobby' Solano as coach of their national teams to try to improve their dreadful record of never qualifying for a major tournament. Solano, 50, who also played for Aston Villa and West Ham United in the English Premier League before retiring in 2012, was an assistant coach for his country Peru when they qualified for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. 'We have hired the services of Solano with a hope that he will bring more energy and zest to the national players and lift our standings at the international level,' the Pakistan Football Federation president, Mohsen Gilani, said in a statement. The cricket-obsessed nation has reached the second round of Asian qualifying for the FIFA World Cup only once. Pakistan are 201st of 210 teams the in FIFA world men's team rankings, and have sought to improve standards by inducting players of Pakistan heritage based in the UK. Pakistan football has suffered badly from political parties fighting over control of the federation, which receives a large annual grant from world governing body FIFA. The federation was for 10 years run by a FIFA-appointed committee and earlier this year briefly suspended for political interference ahead of elections in May. FIFA in 2021 banned Pakistan from playing international matches for 15 months, also for political interference in the federation. Solano's first task will be with the under-23s men's team, who are due to face Cambodia, Iraq and Oman in September in qualifying for the U23 Asian Cup next year. Solano's first matches in charge of the senior team will be a double-header against Afghanistan in 2027 Asian Cup qualifying in October. Pakistan kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 away defeat to Syria in March and a 1-0 loss to Myanmar in Yangon last month.
Barnama
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Barnama
Darul Makmur Stadium Grass Pitch Receives FIFA Nod
KUANTAN, May 30 (Bernama) -- The Darul Makmur Stadium here scored a landmark precedent when its natural grass pitch became the first in Malaysia to receive certification from world governing body FIFA through its Quality Programme for Natural Playing Surfaces. Pahang Communications and Multimedia, Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations Committee chairman Fadzli Mohamad Kamal said the certificate was issued after the pitch passed a comprehensive assessment by a FIFA-appointed consultancy company, Acousto-Scan Pty Ltd, on April 23 and 24. "The pitch received an excellent rating with a score of 93 per cent after the assessment was conducted covering three main components, namely climate testing, sports performance testing and agronomic testing," he said at a press conference here today. bootstrap slideshow Fadzli also said the assessment included aspects such as soil temperature, humidity, ball bounce, surface hardness, root system, weed content and soil health. "This recognition marks a major success in the technical and maintenance aspects of the national sports field. "I was informed that the 'Bermuda Tifgrand' grass on this field is the first to be planted outside Japan, besides this field having three layers and a water drainage system underneath to speed up the water absorption rate," he said. The field was built and upgraded according to strict FIFA specifications by local contractor, RS Greenmaster (M) Sdn Bhd, which played an important role in this success. The field upgrade project involved a cost of RM1.6 million, of which RM500,000 was contributed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports while RM1.1 million was borne by the state government. He said the contractor had already given them the green light to use the field but it would only be used in one or two months.
Business Recorder
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Mohsen Gilani elected new PFF president after six-year hiatus
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) on Tuesday elected Mohsen Gilani as its new president, ending a six-year administrative vacuum in the country's top football body. Gilani, a former FIFA Development Officer, secured a simple majority with 13 votes in the second round of polling, edging out Taha Alizai of Karachi United, who received 11 votes. He becomes the 17th president of the federation. The election marks a major turning point for the PFF, which had been under a FIFA-appointed Normalisation Committee since 2019 following prolonged internal disputes and organizational dysfunction. President, executive body: NA body directs NC to complete election process in 2 months Restoring a permanent leadership is seen as a critical step toward stabilizing football governance and reviving competitive activity in the country. Gilani and his team face immediate challenges, including revitalizing domestic competitions, launching a long-delayed professional league, and enhancing the performance of national teams. The timing is particularly crucial, with Pakistan currently involved in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers. The election was initially scheduled for May 20 but was postponed due to logistical constraints and rescheduled for May 27 in Lahore. According to a letter from Acting Secretary Muhammad Shahid Niaz Khokhar, the delay stemmed from difficulties in ensuring the attendance of international observers from FIFA and the AFC, whose presence was essential for the credibility of the process. The successful completion of the election process now paves the way for the PFF to move forward with a renewed mandate and international backing.
