We will not miss any FIFA/AFC event : Faisal Saleh Hayat

LAHORE: Pakistan will take part in inaugural AFC Challenge Cup next year.

"We will not miss any soccer of FIFA or AFC as was the case in past when previous PFF missed the participation in 1995 SAF Games and Sydney Olympic 2000 Qualifiers.

In order to improve your play and to keep up the pace with other 206 members of FIFA, it is essential that Pakistan should appear in every assignments of FIFA and AFC," this is stated by PFF President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat on Sunday.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) plans to launch AFC Challenge Cup in efforts to develop the game in the continent`s `emerging` football nations. Unlike the AFC Presidents Cup, the AFC Challenge Cup is a competition for national teams. The AFC already holds the President`s Cup for clubs from smaller footballing nations at Kathmandu last May with Tajikistan`s Regar TadAZ winning the trophy.

The competition will feature the national teams of 17 countries and will be held on a biennial basis in a single country, with all expenses to be borne by AFC. Bangladesh, Nepal and India have already shown their interest to host the inaugural edition. There will be no qualifying encounters and all 17 teams will go directly into the competition.

PFF President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat praised the effort of AFC for launching a new event and said : "These 17 countries need time to catch up and close the gap on the more advanced nations in Asia. It is hoped that the new competition will enlarge awareness about football in these countries and accelerate the game`s development there."

The nations that have been selected to compete in the AFC Challenge Cup, besides Pakistan, are Afghanistan, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Guam, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macau, Mongolia, Nepal, Palestine, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan and Timor Leste.

"For these emerging nations, qualifying and doing well in the Asian Cup finals are dreams that are not reachable yet. By playing against teams of same-echelon in AFC Challenge Cup, they will have a better chance of accomplishment and will be able to raise the standards of football and interest in their countries" said Faisal Saleh Hayat who is also Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas.

The AFC has divided its 45 member nations into three different levels and created club competitions for each level. The top 14 `mature` associations play in the AFC Champions League, the next 14 `developing` associations compete in the AFC Cup and the remaining 17 `emerging` association are to take part in the AFC President`s Cup