By LONDON: Some of football’s biggest names have arrived in Pakistan for the formal launch of the Pakistan Football League (PFL), scheduled for June 4 in Lahore.
Confirmed attendees include football stars and executives from the UK, Italy, Spain, the US, and Portugal. The Pakistan High Commission in London reported issuing over a dozen visas for the event.
Leading the high-powered delegation are retired English footballer Michael Owen, known for his prolific goal-scoring career with clubs like Liverpool and Real Madrid; Emile Heskey, a former English footballer with stints at Leicester City and Liverpool; Pascal Chimbonda, a French NT player with experience in the English Premier League; and Raúl Rodríguez, a former Spanish LaLiga Central Defender.
Upon their arrival on Monday, the footballers visited local schools and met with ministers. Michael Owen even engaged in a game of football with children at a nearby school.
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Other notable members of the delegation include Steve Wood, overseeing Michael Owen’s global commercial activities; Adrian Bevington, a prominent figure in English football’s executive ranks; and Michael Knighton, a respected English businessman who previously served on the board of Manchester United.
The visit aims to bolster football in Pakistan, with PFL Chairman Farhan Junejo expressing optimism about the league’s potential impact on aspiring young players. Junejo highlighted plans to send children to train in Lisbon and emphasized the league’s role in nurturing future football stars.
The three-day visit includes stops in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, featuring meetings with top officials and a football carnival in Lyari to honor Pakistan’s football heroes. Junejo also mentioned meetings with senior military and political leadership as part of the delegation’s itinerary.
