The Pakistan national football team represents the country in men’s international football under the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Known as the Shaheens (The Falcons), the side plays in green at Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad.
Quick answer: The Pakistan national football team is Asia’s long-struggling giant-in-waiting: 197th in the FIFA rankings (October 2026), coached by Nolberto Solano, captained by Abdullah Iqbal, owned by the PFF under president Mohsen Gilani — still chasing a first-ever World Cup appearance.
Identity and Colours
The team’s nickname, Shaheens, means “falcons” — the bird associated with Allama Iqbal’s poetry and Pakistan’s national imagination. The first-choice kit is green shirts with white trim; the FIFA country code is PAK. Home internationals are staged at Jinnah Stadium in Islamabad, the venue for the famous 1-0 win over Cambodia in October 2023 that took Pakistan into a World Cup qualifying second round for the first time. The story behind the nickname is explored in Pakistan FC: nickname and identity.
Administration: PFF
The Pakistan Football Federation (pff.com.pk) governs the team. After years under a FIFA Normalisation Committee and a brief 2025 suspension over constitutional disputes, an elected PFF Congress took charge with Mohsen Gilani as president. His administration’s first major football decision was appointing Nolberto Solano head coach in July 2025, with ex-Newcastle defender Titus Bramble added as assistant in September 2026. Domestic football runs through a mix of departmental sides and clubs, covered in Pakistan football clubs.
Record at a Glance
First international: Iran 5-1 Pakistan, Tehran, 27 October 1950. Biggest wins: 7-0 vs Thailand (Kuala Lumpur, 1960) and 9-2 vs Guam (Taipei, 2008). Biggest defeats: 9-1 vs Iran (1969) and 0-8 vs Iraq (1993). Best SAFF Championship finish: third, 1997. World Cup qualifying: first round breakthrough 2023. All-time top scorer: Muhammad Umer (18 goals); most caps: Haroon Yousaf (49). The qualifying campaigns are detailed in Pakistan at the FIFA World Cup, and the current squad in Pakistan national team players.
FAQs
What is the nickname of the Pakistan national football team?
The Shaheens — “The Falcons” in English. The name comes from the falcon imagery in Allama Iqbal’s poetry.
Who runs the Pakistan national football team?
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), led by elected president Mohsen Gilani since 2025. The PFF is affiliated to FIFA, the AFC and SAFF.
What is Pakistan’s best result in international football?
Third place at the 1997 SAFF Championship regionally; the 1-0 aggregate win over Cambodia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers (October 2023) is the landmark competitive result.
