Pakistan eyeing to make history in FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers

TTS Report :

Pakistan will face Cambodia today (Tuesday) with a big hope to register the first ever victory in the history of FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers in the home-leg (second round) match at Jinnah Stadium, Pakistan Sports Complex, Islamabad.

Following the goalless first leg draw, both teams held indoor practice sessions due to rain and eyeing to win the important contest as Pakistan is hosting an international event after a long eight years with the support of Pakistan Sports Board (PSB). Since it first entered World Cup qualifying in 1990, the Pakistan football team has never won a qualification match; it has managed to draw only three of 32 games, scoring 10 goals while conceding 124.

Having the assistance of the recently hired English coach Stephen Constantine, Pakistan also have seven overseas players in their ranks, who will be part of the playing XI against a well-settled side being handled by Argentinian coach Felix Agustin Dalmas.

Speaking to the media, Cambodian team head coach Felix Agustin Dalmas thanked Pakistani people and the organisers for the warm welcome on their arrival, saying, “Sports facilities are very good here. The first leg held at Cambodia was a tough one and Pakistan is the favorite to win this important match at home as they will have big audience support.”

He added: “Pakistan team is a different team to compare 2019 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, where we won both the matches but now the home side has improved their standard of playing game, especially they added dual national players in the squad, making it quite better and strong.”

On the other hand, Pakistan football team coach Stephen Constantine is also optimistic that Pakistan would perform better against Cambodia in the home-leg match of the FIFA Qualifiers, adding, “We are hopeful that players will show their best in the match. After eight years, a big international match is going to take place in Islamabad and our focus is on winning against the visitors.

“Pakistan has not had an international game for a long time and the players are working very hard for the good game. A professional football league should be held in Pakistan to boost the football at international level as if there is no professional league, there will be no good future of football in the country,” Pakistan coach asserted.

Responding to a question, he said that India has improved in the game due to the professional and other football leagues but footballers with dual citizenship were not allowed to represent the Indian national team. “The Pakistan Football Federation has allowed the dual nationals in the team; however, FIFA has not yet decided about Otis Khan’s citizenship, and he will be part of the team if the decision is made,” he said.

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Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid - Editor Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid joins "To The Sports News" as an Editor, bringing a decade of comprehensive journalistic experience to our team. A respected Pakistani journalist, he has dedicated his career to covering a wide array of global issues across the world, demonstrating a deep understanding of complex subjects and a commitment to detailed reporting. Mr. Wahid has a background working with prominent print and electronic media organizations, including Channel Five TV, the newspaper "Khabrain," The Nation/Nawa-i-Waqt, NNI, Daily Sama, City 42, Star Asia, Waqt News, Daily The Business, and Daily The Khabrain. His work has covered areas such as Environment, Health, and Sports. He is also a member of the Lahore Press Club, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ), highlighting his dedication to journalistic standards and diverse reporting. His academic background includes a BS Honors degree in Sociology and an MPhil from Punjab University, alongside a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sargodha. Furthermore, Mr. Wahid is a Ph.D. candidate in Journalism at Complutense University of Madrid, and has contributed to research on topics including the relationship of sports participation with achievement, motivation, and innovation traits among university students, and the effects of parental involvement on student participation in sports. With his extensive experience in covering diverse topics and his keen analytical skills, Mr. Azhar ul Haq Wahid is poised to lead our sports news coverage with depth, accuracy, and insightful perspectives, ensuring our readers receive top-tier journalistic content.

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