ISLAMABAD: The inaugural Under-12 National Football Championship kicks off at the Pakistan Sports Complex from Friday with seven teams taking part.

Teams from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Fata, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azzad Jammu and Kashmir will take part in the event, Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) secretary Col Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi told a press conference here on Thursday.

The final will be played on Aug 12.

“The tournament is being organised to the select the National U-12 team which will take part in the Iran Football Festival next month,” Lodhi informed.

“That event will provide tremendous international exposure to Pakistan’s young footballers.”

Lodhi said that the PFF has been working for the promotion of football at grassroots level.

“Out of the eight football academies funded by FIFA, three — in Lahore, Karachi and Abbottabad — are ready while the remaining five, in Quetta, Peshawar, Sukkur, Jacobabad and Khanewal are under construction,” he said.

“The academies have boarding and lodging facilities for at least 100 players and officials and they will provide excellent opportunities for grooming and developing young football talent in the country once they are operational.”

While commenting about PFF’s ‘Vision 2022’ plan — through which Pakistan aim to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar, Lodhi said: “Although it is difficult but it is quite achievable.”

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2014