Pakistan ‘in talks’ with Argentina over potential friendly match

KARACHI: Pakistan and Argentina have held initial discussions over the possibility of an international friendly between their football teams, as part of broader talks on football development cooperation, sources privy to the matter said.

According to sources, officials from the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) held early-stage discussions during an online exchange, where they reviewed multiple areas of cooperation, including coaching development, technical training programmes and a potential friendly fixture.

Both sides also discussed the possibility of Argentinian coaches visiting Pakistan under a structured development initiative and explored a wider technical collaboration framework aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s football structure.

An official statement shared by Pakistan’s mission in Argentina said a “productive and forward-looking meeting” was arranged and coordinated by the mission, bringing together the PFF and the AFA following AFA’s launch of the “AFA Pakistan” brand and its expressed interest in building “meaningful engagement with Pakistan’s football ecosystem.”

The meeting, chaired by Ambassador Hassan Afzal Khan, was attended by PFF President Syed Mohsin Gilani and his team, along with AFA Marketing Director Francisco Lemmi, the statement said.

According to the statement, Ambassador Hassan said the development presented “an excellent opportunity to strengthen collaboration and contribute to the growth of football in Pakistan”. 

It added that Gilani welcomed AFA’s outreach and emphasised the importance of developing the partnership in a “structured and sustainable manner” aimed at long-term cooperation and mutual benefit.

If finalised, the proposed friendly would take place after the Fifa World Cup, with both federations agreeing to continue working on various logistical and technical aspects before any confirmation.

The statement described the engagement as a “promising step toward international collaboration in sports development” that opens new avenues for football advancement in Pakistan.

Sources emphasised that discussions remain at an early stage, with further coordination required before any agreement on a friendly match or formal development programme is reached.