Pakistan’s women’s national football team has just completed its first-ever appearance at a FIFA event. The Pakistan women’s national football team participated in the FIFA Series 2026 in Ivory Coast, marking the team’s first-ever appearance in the global friendly competition.They finished third in the FIFA Series 2026 table but their journey was filled with historic firsts, record-breaking goals, and lessons that will shape women’s football in Pakistan for years to come.
Background: What Is the FIFA Series?
The FIFA Series 2026 is a brand-new concept in global football. The 2026 FIFA Women’s Series is the inaugural edition of women’s national football teams FIFA Series, an invitational tournament promoted by FIFA that features friendly matches between teams from different continental confederations, with the 2026 edition featuring four different four-team series taking place across four host countries during the FIFA window of 9–18 April.
The FIFA Series is designed to give teams like Pakistan the opportunity to compete against opponents from different regions, helping improve international experience and exposure. It is not a qualification tournament but a structured development platform for emerging football nations.
Pakistan’s participation in the FIFA Series 2026 followed a pivotal meeting. The development came after a meeting between Pakistan Football Federation President Syed Mohsen Gilani and FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the sidelines of the Club World Cup, where the two discussed the development of football in Pakistan, with particular focus on the women’s game.
FIFA Series 2026 Schedule – Pakistan Matches
Pakistan was placed in the Ivory Coast group for the FIFA Series 2026. Matches were scheduled for April 9, 12, and 16: Pakistan vs. Turks and Caicos Islands on April 9, Mauritania vs. Pakistan on April 12, and Ivory Coast vs. Pakistan on April 16.All three FIFA Series 2026 matches were played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The full FIFA Series 2026 schedule for the Ivory Coast group was as follows:
- April 9: Pakistan 8–0 Turks and Caicos Islands
- April 9: Ivory Coast 8–0 Mauritania
- April 12: Mauritania 1–0 Pakistan
- April 12: Turks and Caicos Islands 0–15 Ivory Coast
- April 16: Turks and Caicos Islands 0–? Mauritania
- April 16: Ivory Coast 2–0 Pakistan
Match 1: Pakistan 8–0 Turks and Caicos – A Record-Breaking Debut
Pakistan’s first FIFA Series 2026 match was nothing short of extraordinary. Pakistan women’s national football team made a dream start to the FIFA Series 2026 by thrashing the Turks and Caicos Islands 8-0 in Côte d’Ivoire, registering the biggest win in the country’s international football history.
The emphatic result surpassed their previous biggest international victory, a 7-0 win over the Maldives in September 2022. The win also marked a personal milestone. Pakistan star forward Nadia Khan became the all-time leading goal scorer for the women’s national football team after netting her record-breaking goal in the 57th minute against Turks and Caicos Islands, surpassing former captain Hajra Khan’s record.
The performance featured goals from Zahmena Malik, Aqsa Mushtaq, Layla Banaras, Mariam Mahmood, Nadia Khan, and Isra Khan, with Aqsa and Layla each scoring twice.It was a complete, dominant team performance that sent shockwaves through women’s football in Asia.
Match 2: Mauritania 1–0 Pakistan Heartbreak After History
Just days after the high of their record win, Pakistan faced a painful lesson. Pakistan women suffered a 1-0 defeat to Mauritania in the FIFA Series despite creating several chances in Abidjan, with head coach Adeel Rizki saying missed opportunities and some overconfidence proved costly.
Mauritania took the lead in the 20th minute when Gengui met a cross from the left with a volley from outside the penalty area and sent the ball into the bottom corner, giving goalkeeper Zeeyana Jivraj no chance.
Pakistan created chance after chance in the second half but could not find the equaliser.
Aqsa Mushtaq told Dawn: “The Mauritania loss hurt a lot more than the Ivory Coast one.” She acknowledged the team had six or seven clear chances but none went in, while Mauritania had one real attack and scored from it.
Match 3: Ivory Coast 2–0 Pakistan – A Brave Exit
In their final FIFA Series 2026 match, Pakistan faced the powerful hosts. Ivory Coast’s women’s national team completed a flawless campaign in the FIFA Women’s Series 2026 with a 2-0 victory over Pakistan, sealing top spot with three wins from three matches.
Pakistan had kept Côte d’Ivoire at bay for the first half an hour, the defence marshalled superbly by Kayla Siddiqi and Isra Khan, reducing the hosts to shots from distance.Goalkeeper Zeeyana Jivraj delivered an outstanding performance, making several crucial saves throughout the match.
At the end, Pakistan finished 3rd in the FIFA Series with 3 points from 3 games, while Mauritania finished 2nd with 6 points, and Turks and Caicos Islands finished 4th with 0 points.
FIFA Series 2026 Table – Ivory Coast Group Final Standings
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points |
| 1st | Ivory Coast | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| 2nd | Mauritania | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 3rd | Pakistan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 4th | Turks & Caicos | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Ivory Coast thoroughly dominated proceedings, thrashing Mauritania 8-0 and crushing the Turks and Caicos Islands 15-1, before finishing with a 2-0 win over Pakistan. Ouedraogo Habibou was named the tournament’s best player
Quotes: Players and Officials Speak Out
PFF President Syed Mohsen Gilani said: “This is indeed a historic participation for a country that has never featured in a FIFA event. These matches will help in not only boosting their confidence but also allow them to see what they need to do to improve.”
Forward Nadia Khan, who plays for English club Blackburn Rovers, reflected on the tournament: “The experience of this whole event has been amazing. The quality of players we had I think these are the best players we have ever had. We can do so much and go so much further.”
Aqsa Mushtaq was direct about the most important issue: “One thing I want to change about Pakistan women’s football right now is the amount of games and windows we have. It’s been a whole year since we last played Indonesia. It’s so important to play in every FIFA window if we can.”
Head coach Adeel Rizki said after the Ivory Coast match: “We were up against a tough opponent so it was key that we kept our shape and discipline. Overall it was a very satisfying performance from the team to hold them to just two goals. These games are a learning curve for us and the more we play against such opponents, the more we will get better.”
From FIFA Series Pakistan 2022 to FIFA Series 2026 How Far Have They Come?
It is worth noting how far Pakistani women’s football has come. Their previous biggest win was a 7-0 over the Maldives in 2022. The FIFA Series 2026 not only smashed that record but placed Pakistan on the global football stage for the very first time.
Taking part in the FIFA Series represents a significant milestone for the Pakistan Football Federation it reflects a new international outlook, growing domestic structures, and a clear commitment to developing football in Pakistan in the long term.
Another key project will see the construction of a dedicated stadium under the control of the PFF, which will strengthen infrastructure and also provide new opportunities for developing the national team and growing the fanbase.
Impact: What This Means for Pakistan Women’s Football
The FIFA Series 2026 women’s tournament has opened a new chapter for Pakistan. It showed the world that Pakistan has genuine attacking talent capable of demolishing opponents 8-0. It also exposed critical structural gaps primarily the lack of regular match opportunities.
Both Nadia Khan and Aqsa Mushtaq agree on one thing: Pakistan needs to play not just in tournaments, not just when the world is watching, but regularly, relentlessly, and together. More FIFA windows, more exposure, and more domestic infrastructure are the clear next steps.
The men’s team, meanwhile, faces a different story. Pakistan were one of the countries banned from the 2026 FIFA World Cup after the Pakistan Football Federation was suspended from FIFA for failing to adopt a revised constitution aimed at ensuring fair and democratic elections. However, the ban has since been lifted and the focus is now firmly on rebuilding.
Conclusion: The Road Ahead for Pakistan Football
The FIFA Series 2026 was not just a tournament for Pakistan it was a declaration. A declaration that women’s football in Pakistan is alive, ambitious, and capable of making history. The FIFA Series women’s matches revealed Pakistan’s high ceiling, while also exposing areas that need urgent attention.
The narrative has now shifted in Pakistan’s football circles from gloom and despair to one of hope and possibilities.With the PFF’s new leadership in place, a dedicated stadium in the pipeline, and players like Nadia Khan and Aqsa Mushtaq leading from the front, the future of Pakistan football particularly the women’s game has never looked more promising.
FAQs
Q1: Is Pakistan playing in the FIFA World Cup?
Pakistan’s men’s national team did not qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Pakistan Football Federation was suspended by FIFA due to the failure to amend its constitution as mandated by FIFA and the AFC. However, the ban was lifted in early 2025 and Pakistan’s women’s team has since made its first-ever appearance at a FIFA event through the FIFA Series 2026.
Q2: Why is Pakistan banned from the 2026 World Cup?
Pakistan’s suspension stems from its failure to implement a revised football constitution that guarantees fair and democratic elections within its football governing body. FIFA has previously sanctioned the Pakistan Football Federation in both 2017 and 2021 due to similar governance issues.The ban was lifted in March 2025 after the PFF agreed to FIFA’s proposed amendments, but the men’s team had already been eliminated from 2026 World Cup qualifying.
Q3: What is the FIFA Series?
The FIFA Series is an invitational tournament promoted by FIFA that features friendly matches between women’s national teams from different continental confederations. The 2026 edition is the inaugural edition of the competition, featuring four different four-team groups across four host countries.It is designed to give developing football nations regular international exposure and competitive experience outside of traditional qualifying windows.
