Pakistan’s women’s national football team will leave for Côte d’Ivoire tomorrow (Monday) for their first-ever participation in the FIFA Series, 24NewsHD TV reported on Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore on Sunday, team officials described the trip as a landmark moment for women’s football in Pakistan. The players and coaching team insisted that there was no pressure despite the historic nature of the tournament.
They said the team was heading to West Africa with a clear aim: to compete for victories rather than merely gain experience.
The FIFA Series will see Pakistan face teams from outside their usual regional opposition, including Turks and Caicos Islands, Mauritania and the Ivory Coast.
Mejzgaan Orakzai, director of the Pakistan Football Federation’s women’s football department, said the country’s participation in its first FIFA event had been made possible through the efforts of PFF President Mohsen Gilani and the federation’s staff.
“This is a unique opportunity to play outside of our confederation,” Orakzai said. “We are exposed to different styles of playing, different tactical identities. Our global connections are fostered and developed. This is crucial for the team’s growth.”
She said the federation’s women’s football department, run entirely by women, was working not only to strengthen the national team but also to build a broader ecosystem for women in football, including pathways for coaches, referees, administrators and managers.
Head coach Adeel Rizki said the squad travelling to Côte d’Ivoire was among the strongest Pakistan had assembled, adding that preparations had been solid and expectations were high.
“The preparations have been quite strong. I believe this is one of the strongest squads we’ve had so far,” Rizki said. “We expect to go there and compete at the highest level and make Pakistan proud.”
Rizki also dismissed any distinction between overseas-based and locally based players, saying selection was based solely on merit, form, tactical suitability and team balance.
“There is no diaspora versus local,” he said. “The question is always: which Pakistani player is best suited for which position.”
He said the team’s short-term focus was the SAFF Championship, with longer-term ambitions including Asian qualification campaigns, Olympic qualifiers and ultimately the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Captain Maria Khan echoed that confidence, saying the squad viewed itself as one unit and was unfazed by the prospect of facing higher-ranked opponents, including Ivory Coast.
“The pressure is on Ivory Coast. It’s not on us,” Khan said, pointing to Pakistan’s previous experience against stronger opposition, including the Philippines, as evidence of the team’s growth in character and quality.
She said another encouraging sign for the programme was that several players were joining the national side directly from professional clubs during the FIFA international window, which she described as a major step forward for the team’s development.
Pakistan’s participation in the FIFA Series is being seen as a significant step for a women’s football programme seeking greater international exposure and a stronger competitive footing ahead of future regional and continental campaigns.