How British footballers are helping women's football in Pakistan

Football is not the most popular sport in Pakistan, where cricket is usually the top choice for most people. However, things are starting to change, especially for women’s football. The new president of the Pakistan Football Federation, Syed Mohsin Gilani, is determined to get more girls involved in football. He says that the goal is to encourage girls from all over Pakistan to play the sport. In the past, the women’s national team did not get many chances to play because the federation was suspended by Fifa, the world football organization. As a result, the team only played three games in the last two years. Now, the federation is looking for talented players, even those living outside Pakistan, to help improve the team’s reputation and performance.

One of the new faces in the team is Layla Banaras, a former Birmingham City player from England. Layla started playing football at the age of eight and made her first appearance for Birmingham City’s main team when she was sixteen. She was the first South Asian woman to play for the club, and she hopes her story will inspire other girls to follow their dreams. Layla recently joined the Pakistan women’s national team and played in the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, where the team finished as runners-up. Layla says she is proud of her Pakistani heritage and did not hesitate to choose Pakistan over England when the opportunity came.

Another player, Mariam Mahmood, used to play for West Bromwich in England. She was excited when she was invited to join the Pakistan team. Mariam says that some of her extended family did not support her decision to play football, believing that Pakistani girls should not play sports. However, Mariam did not let these opinions stop her. She believes that girls should not let cultural expectations hold them back from doing what they love.

The president of the Pakistan Football Federation, Syed Mohsin Gilani, says that anyone who is eligible to play for Pakistan should be welcomed, no matter where they live. He is happy to have players like Layla and Mariam on the team. The federation is also working to develop more local talent by creating more women’s football clubs and starting a special department for women’s football. They plan to launch new competitions for women and girls across the country. Layla believes that more needs to be done to raise awareness about women’s football in Pakistan. She says that football should be introduced in schools and local communities so that more girls have the chance to play. Layla also hopes to see more girls from South Asian Muslim backgrounds joining football academies and eventually playing for the national team.

The Pakistan Football Federation is working hard to make football more accessible and popular for girls in the country. With the help of players like Layla and Mariam, and the support of the federation, women’s football in Pakistan is starting to grow and gain more recognition.