Ali Tareen emerged as a surprise contender in the bidding war to hold a new football league in Pakistan, with the former owner of Pakistan Super League (PSL) cricket franchise Multan Sultans in a race against two franchise league merchants, who have long tried to get an event underway.
Last month, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) had invited expressions of interest from individuals and companies looking to hold a league in a bid to revive the domestic structure of the game in the country.
Tareen confirmed on Wednesday, the deadline day for submission, that he had sent a proposal.
“I have proposed a season (six-month) long league for Pakistan football, not a flashy, one-month cash-grab tournament,” Ali wrote on X, in a jibe at the proposed franchise leagues.
Pakistan hasn’t had a functioning league since the last edition of the Pakistan Premier Football League — which had a mix of departments and a smattering of clubs — in 2019.
Ali, who was denied renewal of Multan Sultans by the Pakistan Cricket Board last month as the PSL extended its agreements with other franchises, said his proposed league will have equity ownership for the teams.
“A proper league with home and away fixtures, equity ownership in the league for the teams, derbies with two clubs per city, and mandatory women’s teams playing earlier on matchday like the Hundred (in England),” he added.
“This is the model that builds long-term value, gives fans real clubs to support, and can take Pakistan football to the next level. League > Tournament.”
Two other proposals have come from entities who have been looking to launch franchise football leagues in the country on similar lines to the PSL.
One of them is Global Soccer Ventures (GSV), which held a launch event for its proposed ‘Pakistan Football League’ in Lahore in June last year. The other expression of interest has come from Zabe Khan, who was formerly part of GSV.
“The GSV revived interest in football when there was nothing happening locally,” Pakistan football player Kaleemullah, who is one of the faces of the PSL, told Dawn, on Wednesday, referring to the launch event which featured England striker Michael Owen.
GSV claims to have sold five of its eight franchises. “We have already sold our teams and we are ready to launch,” added Kaleem.
Former K-Electric sports head Zabe left GSV following the launch event amid claims that the company had not honoured its contracts and although he did not mention who was backing him for the league, Dawn understands that it is another entity that has long harboured ambitions of setting up a franchise league.
“We need both leagues … a franchise league and a club league,” Zabe told Dawn on Wednesday. “We’ve sent a proposal for a franchise league that will run for about a month to 45 days.”
The three bidders are set to give a detailed presentation to the Mohsen Gilani-led PFF on Dec 29 after which the country’s football governing body will make a formal decision on which entity to partner with.
Last week, Mohsen said that the PFF was looking to build something “stronger and more sustainable”.
“We have invited expressions of interest and received an encouraging number of proposals from groups determined to deliver a new and improved league system,” Mohsen told reporters at an event in Lahore.
“As a fresh leadership, we are building something stronger and more sustainable. This league will not be rushed; it will be done the right way.”
