Zeeshan Mumtaz
ISLAMABAD: The most awaited, inspirational, and thrilling FIFA World Cup will take place in the landmark Middle Eastern Country, Qatar, for the very first time in the history of the Middle East. Pakistan, and the major South Asian nations, is not participating in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
However, the country has kept its tradition of ensuring its presence in the FIFA World Cup by providing locally manufactured ‘football’ for the mega event.
Pakistan has continued its tradition of providing its locally manufactured football to the world events of football, especially in the most inspirational event of FIFA 2022 Football World Cup. It is due to the quality, tradition, hard work, and enthusiasm behind the manufacturing of Pakistani footballs, which are famous around the world with the name of ‘Sports City’, Sialkot.
Sialkot is a Pakistani city located in the Punjab province of the country and has a history and is a center of making sports tools and utensils like bats, wickets, hockey sticks, footballs, tennis rackets, and hard balls, etc. Like other sports tools, Pakistani footballs are best in quality and performance and ensuring their place since the beginning of international football events, especially FIFA.
FIFA Continues Trusting Pakistan
Although Pakistan Football Federation is not sending its team to participate in the FIFA World Cup, FIFA is relying on Pakistan for the two most important things which are fundamental to playing the Football World Cup under the banner of FIFA.
These two core items of reliance on Pakistan are the official FIFA ‘Football’ and ‘Security’ in the playing and execution of the world’s most inspiring and thriller event ‘FIFA World Cup 2022.’
It is not the first time that FIFA has relied on Pakistan for the most important global task of FIFA World Cup 2022. Pakistan has been making the official footballs of FIFA since 2014.
In 2014, the official Football produced by Pakistan was named ‘Brazuca’ for FIFA World Cup 2014. During the football World Cup FIFA in 2018, Pakistan again made the official football ‘Telstar’ FIFA World Cup 2018.
Pakistan also produced the official footballs of the ‘UEFA Champions Trophy,’ held in Spain in 2009. During the international tournament of ‘The London Olympics’ in 2012, Pakistan also produced official footballs.
Pakistan’s Football and FIFA
Pakistan’s sports company ‘Forward Sports’ is responsible for producing and providing official Football for the FIFA World Cup, which is named ‘AL-Rihla,’ an Arabic word meaning ‘the journey.’ FIFA used the word ‘Al-Rihla’ to call its official Football for FIFA World Cup 2022 due to the inspiration from culture, iconic boats, flags, and architecture of the FIFA World Cup 2022, first host ‘Qatar.’ From Arab World.
In this thrilling international event, the 3000 footballs will be used in the tournament, and around 8 million replicas of ‘Al-Rihla’ will be sold worldwide.
The FIFA World Cup will officially start on Sunday, November 20, 2022. The ‘Made in Pakistan’ Football will travel faster in its approved flight than any other football in this international sensational tournament history.
According to sources, this ‘AL-Rihla’ official ‘Made in Pakistan’ Football for FIFA 2022 will be the most accurate, reliable, and fastest Football up to date. FIFA and Qatar have praised and thanked Pakistan. Pakistan also thanked ‘FIFA’ and ‘Adidas’ for the continuation giving huge responsibility and enlisting trust in the country.
When everyone is supporting, cheering, and excited for their teams, Pakistan will be the reason for the fans and supporters to enjoy and be crowned to become champion in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Owner of ‘Forward Sports Masood Akhtar, a civil engineer, established the sports company ‘Forward Sports’ in 1991 and rapidly won the German Multi-National corporate ‘Adidas trust and reliance in 1994. The German company ‘Adidas’ is mandated to design and build shoes, clothes, and other accessories and established a partnership with ‘Forward Sports,’ in 1994.
Reliance on Pakistan for Security
In August, at Qatar’s request, Pakistan agreed to send Pakistan Army personnel to Qatar to provide security during the mega event.
Pakistan has sent almost 4,500 troops to Qatar to assist the host country in providing security for the Football World Cup mega event.
Pakistan is the only foreign country to send foot soldiers to Doha. According to Middle East Eye, a senior Pakistan Army officer told The Telegraph that “personnel will be deployed inside and outside venues in the way deemed fit by the Qatar authorities.”
The Pakistan Army personnel will also provide security to football teams at their hotels.
