KEY POINTS
- Pakistan women’s football team has been drawn to play in Ivory Coast for FIFA Series 2026.
- PFF hailed inclusion as transformative “new era” for Pakistan women’s football development.
- Opportunity follows high-level discussions between PFF and FIFA chief.
- Tournament provides crucial international exposure for football team against Ivory Coast, Mauritania, and Turks and Caicos Islands.
KARACHI: Pakistan women’s football team has been drawn into a significant international fixture, set to compete in the Ivory Coast group of the FIFA Series 2026.
The draw, announced by the sport’s global governing body on Monday, marks a major step forward for the development of the women’s game in the country.
The Pakistan team will travel to West Africa for the tournament, where they will face the host nation Ivory Coast, Mauritania, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The specific match schedule for the series is yet to be announced.
New era for women’s Football
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) hailed the inclusion as a transformative moment.
“Inclusion in the FIFA series is a recognition of the growing development of women’s football in Pakistan. It is a new era for the Pakistan women’s football team,” the PFF stated.
“The FIFA series will allow players to play at the international level.”
This development follows the team’s initial inclusion in the upcoming FIFA Series last month, a milestone achieved after PFF President Mohsen Gilani met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in June.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Club World Cup, focused on advancing football in Pakistan.
Fruit of high-level diplomacy
“We touched upon key topics such as the development of the women’s football team and the men’s team potentially participating in next year’s FIFA Series,” Infantino had said following the discussions, expressing confidence in the PFF leadership.
“President Gilani brings significant experience and football management know-how to the role, and I look forward to seeing our game take positive strides under his leadership.”
The FIFA Series 2026, a new initiative by FIFA, is scheduled for March-April next year and will be hosted across three continents, with games in Brazil, the Ivory Coast, and Thailand.
The tournament is designed to provide competitive exposure to nations that do not regularly get the opportunity to play international friendlies outside their confederations.
For the Pakistan women’s team, the draw represents not just a set of fixtures but a crucial platform to gain invaluable experience and showcase their progress on a global stage.
