TTS Report :
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has entered into a strategic partnership with three-time Pakistan Super League champions Lahore Qalandars to launch a comprehensive nationwide football development programme focused on grassroots empowerment, talent identification and youth engagement.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), signed in Lahore on Tuesday, signals the beginning of an ambitious collaboration aimed at replicating Lahore Qalandars’ highly successful cricket development model within Pakistan’s football ecosystem. The agreement is expected to pave the way for structured talent hunts, high-performance training initiatives, school and district-level competitions, and nationwide outreach programmes.
The MoU was formally signed by PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani and Lahore Qalandars CEO Atif Naeem Rana in the presence of Qalandars’ strategic partners from HRL, Jahanzaib Zahid and Imran Zahid. At the heart of this partnership lies a shared ambition: to institutionalise football development across Pakistan by leveraging the Qalandars’ proven blueprint in cricket talent grooming.
Speaking at the press conference, Atif Rana highlighted the scale of the vision. “Lahore Qalandars wishes to support and promote football in Pakistan. Under the leadership of Mr. Syed Mohsen Gilani, the PFF is committed to rebuilding and expanding football across the country. Our goal is to replicate in football the same professional and empowering environment that we have successfully created in cricket.”
Atif Rana highlighted how the Qalandars’ cricket Player Development Programme (PDP), which established High Performance Centres in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad and organised nationwide open trials, transformed untapped street talent into international-level cricketers.
“We empowered the common man with dreams in his eyes,” Rana said and added: “Now, in coordination with the PFF, we want to create that same pathway for aspiring footballers, to identify, train and showcase them to the world.”
According to the framework outlined during the ceremony, the partnership will prioritise: grassroots football development; school, college and district-level competitions; nationwide talent hunt campaigns; structured training and high-performance pathways; youth engagement and community outreach; international exposure opportunities and the initiative aims not only to revive competitive football structures but also to restore public confidence in the sport through organised systems and transparent talent development.
Rana affirmed that Lahore Qalandars would extend their full organisational capacity, technical expertise and nationwide network to ensure the programme’s success. “Qalandars stand with the PFF with full strength, potential and resources. This is not symbolic, it is a long-term commitment.”
PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani described the partnership as a ‘historic and meaningful step’ toward rebuilding Pakistan’s football narrative. “Success is always a collective effort. We want to collaborate with institutions and individuals who have proven their ability to deliver for the country. Lahore Qalandars top that list.”
Gilani emphasised that the collaboration goes beyond sport, it is also about projecting a positive and progressive image of Pakistan globally. “We are here to serve football and serve Pakistan. Through youth engagement, structured development and international exposure, we aim to promote a soft and positive image of the country. Who better to guide us than Lahore Qalandars, an organisation that has already demonstrated how to build champions from the grassroots?”
Gilani further said that the PFF deliberately sought a partner whose values, mission, and long-term vision closely align with its reform-driven agenda. Expressing strong confidence in the collaboration, the PFF chief said: “I am highly optimistic that Atif Rana’s vision and passion, which have transformed Lahore Qalandars into a model sports franchise, will now bring meaningful progress to Pakistan football. With renewed zeal and commitment, we will not only identify the finest talent from across the country but also nurture, develop, and elevate them into international stars capable of representing Pakistan with pride on the global stage.”
