Professional franchise football has finally arrived in Pakistan, with the inaugural Pakistan Football League kicking off next month featuring six city-based franchises and a handful of international marquee signings.
Each franchise is permitted four foreign players, and the league has attracted veterans from European second divisions alongside emerging talent from Africa and Central Asia.
The league secured a broadcast deal covering both traditional TV and digital streaming, with organizers betting that football's massive youth following — long visible in futsal and street tournaments — will translate into viewership.
The federation hopes the league will create a professional pathway for local players, whose only previous options were departmental teams with limited competitive football.