AFC Asian Cup Qualifier: Pakistan vs. Afghanistan

The Afghanistan men’s football team is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan this evening for the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match. The game will be held at the Jinnah Football Stadium in Islamabad on Thursday.

The Afghanistan contingent faced visa delays. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi intervened, granting special permission for them to cross the border.

The team’s arrival is estimated for 7 PM Pakistan Standard Time (PST). The visa complications stemmed from administrative oversights by the Afghanistan Football Federation. They submitted the visa requests late, merely 11 days prior to the match, on September 27.

As of Tuesday evening, many Afghan players were still awaiting Pakistani visas. Sources indicated that only 10 players and three officials had received visas the previous week after biometric verification at the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul. A significant portion of the team, located outside Afghanistan, remained without the required clearances.

AFC competition guidelines stipulate that teams must apply for visas at least 30 days in advance. Pakistani football authorities received the visa reference number on October 2 and promptly notified relevant government departments.

Sources reveal that the visa applications were submitted late. Information regarding player interviews and biometric locations were also incorrect. The applications listed Afghanistan as the biometric location for all players, including those residing abroad. Consequently, only players who completed their biometrics in Kabul were issued visas.