Pakistan Football Federation scratch plans to travel to Saudi Arabia for training camp ahead of AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers

Pakistan will have their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers training camp in Lahore instead of Saudi Arabia

The Pakistan football team are drawn alongside Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Syria in Group E of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers – Round 3. The winners of the group will qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup that is set to be played in Saudi Arabia.

Currently ranked 198th in the FIFA rankings, Pakistan are the lowest-ranked team in Group E. The Falcons will kick off their qualification campaign in a stern test against Syria on 25th March 2025 at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

There were reports that suggested the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) had planned to organise a training camp in Saudi Arabia before their game against Syria. However, the plan has since been changed due to VISA-related and logistical hurdles.

Why was AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers camp shifted?

According to ProPakistani, “The Pakistan Football Federation’s Normalisation Committee has decided to cancel plans for a training camp in Saudi Arabia and relocate the preparation session for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match against Syria. The decision comes after concerns were raised over potential visa delays and other logistical hurdles during the busy Ramadan Umrah season in Saudi Arabia.”

The PFF has now decided to shift the national team’s training camp for AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers from Saudi Arabia to Lahore, prioritizing a stable and uninterrupted preparation phase.

As per the officials, the original plan to scrape the training camp in Saudi Arabia was due to logistical challenges which were exacerbated by the high volume of pilgrim travellers.

This led officials to reconsider moving the camp back to Pakistan. With visa approvals expected to take longer than usual due to the ongoing month of Ramzan, travel arrangements were becoming increasingly complex as per the report.

Although Lahore’s facilities may not match international standards, the move is seen as a decision to have a long and definitive camp that will help the Pakistan team’s preparations before they eventually travel to Saudi Arabia for the fixture against Syria.

Pakistan’s form in recent games and what to expect!

Currently managed by the former Indian football team manager, Stephen Constantine, Pakistan had qualified to round 2 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. However the Falcons lost all six fixtures and ended at the bottom of their group conceding 26 goals and scoring just 1.

FIFA had placed a ban on the PPF in early February, which threatened to remove the country from the Asian qualifiers altogether. However, the ban has since been lifted after Pakistan’s footballing body made necessary constitutional changes to ensure smooth governance of the sport in the country.

While Syria are the firm favourites to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup from their group, Pakistan will certainly have a better chance against Afghanistan and Myanmar as they look to qualify for the continental tournament.

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