By Asif Naveed
ISLAMABAD (MNN); Ali Tareen has emerged as an unexpected but strong contender in the race to establish a new professional football league in Pakistan, entering competition with two franchise league promoters who have been pursuing similar projects for several years.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) last month invited expressions of interest from individuals and companies to launch a domestic football league as part of efforts to revive the country’s struggling football structure. Wednesday marked the deadline for submissions, with Tareen confirming that he had formally submitted his proposal.
Taking to social media platform X, the former Multan Sultans owner said he had proposed a six-month-long football season, distancing his vision from short-term franchise tournaments. He described his plan as a proper league structure rather than a “one-month cash-grab tournament.”
Pakistan has not had a fully functional domestic football league since the final edition of the Pakistan Premier Football League in 2019, which featured a mix of departmental teams and a limited number of clubs.
Tareen, whose ownership of Multan Sultans was not renewed by the Pakistan Cricket Board last month following the extension of agreements with other PSL franchises, said his proposed football league would offer equity ownership to participating teams.
He outlined a structure featuring home-and-away fixtures, two clubs per city to build local rivalries, and mandatory women’s teams playing before men’s matches on the same day, similar to England’s Hundred competition. He said the model was designed to create long-term value, foster genuine fan engagement, and elevate Pakistan football. “League over tournament,” he remarked.
Two other proposals have also been submitted by groups seeking to launch franchise-based football leagues similar to the PSL model. One bid has come from Global Soccer Ventures (GSV), which unveiled its proposed Pakistan Football League at a launch event in Lahore last year. The other proposal has been submitted by Zabe Khan, a former GSV associate.
Pakistan international footballer Kaleemullah, who has been associated with GSV, said the company helped revive interest in football during a period of inactivity, referring to the Lahore event that featured former England striker Michael Owen. GSV claims it has already sold five of its eight franchises and is ready to launch.
Zabe Khan parted ways with GSV after the launch event amid disputes over contractual issues. While he did not disclose his financial backers, he confirmed submitting a proposal for a franchise league expected to run for 30 to 45 days.
All three bidders are scheduled to present detailed proposals to the PFF, led by Mohsen Gilani, on December 29. The federation will then decide which entity it will partner with to launch the new league.
Speaking last week, Mohsen Gilani said the PFF was focused on developing a stronger and more sustainable football ecosystem. He said the federation had received an encouraging number of proposals and stressed that the new league would not be rushed, but implemented carefully and correctly.
