'Extraordinary Congress' meeting convened to discuss amendments to PFF constitution

KARACHI: The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) Normalisation Committee has called an Extraordinary Congress meeting on November 19 in Lahore to discuss amendments to the PFF constitution, sources confirmed to Geo News on Thursday.

The congress, according to sources, will focus on necessary amendments to align the PFF's election procedures with FIFA’s directives, according to a letter sent by the federation to various departments.

An official of PFF confirmed to Geo News that while the invitations to departments have already been sent, provinces will be notified once the election process is complete and results are officially notified, which is expected by early next week.

“The agenda of this meeting is centered on revising specific statutes, particularly Article 38 and Article 90, which govern the election process and eligibility criteria for candidates for the PFF Presidency. The proposed amendments, mandated by FIFA, are aimed at making the election process more inclusive and democratic by expanding the eligibility pool for candidates and refining the election timeline,” said a source.

Sources indicate that changes to Article 38 will modify the eligibility requirements for presidential candidates. Under the current rule (article 38 (4), a candidate must have served as a member of the PFF Congress, PFF Executive Committee, or an official position within PFF, AFC, or FIFA for at least two of the preceding five years.

“This requirement has limited the pool of eligible candidates. The proposed amendment would ease these restrictions, allowing a broader spectrum of qualified individuals to contest for the presidential position,” the source said.

Article 90 amendments will address the scheduling and procedural framework for PFF elections. As per the existing statute, the complete election process at district, provincial, and federation levels must be outlined by January 31 of the election year, with elections completed by July 31. Furthermore, the new body is to assume office on September 1.

The proposed changes aim to provide flexibility in this timeline, ensuring a smoother transition and adequate preparation time for candidates and officials.

The sources added that PFF’s Extraordinary Congress was convened following a directive from the FIFA Council in March 2024, which instructed the PFF Normalisation Committee to revise specific constitutional provisions.

“FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation determined that a partial revision of the PFF Constitution is necessary to guarantee a fair and democratic election process. The international football governing bodies observed that existing provisions restrict eligible candidates and could hinder the development of a truly representative leadership,” it noted while highlighting the instruction from the FIFA.

A five-member delegation from FIFA and AFC is also likely to visit Pakistan to oversee the Congress proceedings and ensure compliance with international football governance standards.

The Congress will officially commence once a quorum of Executive Committee Members is present, as per the official PFF notification.