National Women Football Championship

National Women's Football Championship
Organising bodyPakistan Football Federation
Founded2005; 20 years ago (2005)
CountryPakistan
ConfederationAFC
Number of clubs24 (2024)
Current championsKarachi City (1st title)
Most championshipsYoung Rising Stars (5 titles)
TV partnersPTV Sports
Current: 2024 National Women Football Championship
Seasons

The National Women's Football Championship is the top cup competition for women's football clubs in Pakistan. It was started in 2005 by the Pakistan Football Federation.[1]

Young Rising Stars has been the most successful team in the history of the competition, winning it five times (including four consecutive wins from 2010 to 2013).[2] The most recent champion is Karachi City, which won in the 2024 edition.[3][4]

History

The first edition was held in 2005, organised by Pakistan Football Federation (PFF).

On 4 August 2010, PFF president Faisal Saleh Hayat dedicated the Best Player Award of the National Women Football Championship to Misha Dawood, the late Diya WFC midfielder. Misha had been on the ill-fated Airblue Flight 202 which crashed in the Margalla Hills on 28 July 2010.[5]

Due to the political and judicial crisis of 2015 at the PFF, the championship was not held from 2015 to 2018.

The 2021 edition was cancelled, no official reason was given, but the decision took place after the Pakistan Football Federation's office was attacked and people inside held hostage by its former president, Syed Ashfaq Hussain Shah, and his group.[6] The championship was interrupted before the knockout stage started.[7]

Format

The number of teams participating has varied through the years. In the first edition, 8 teams took part. In the 2018 edition, 16 teams participated in the tournament, with three departmental teams, four provincial teams, four regional teams and five club teams, divided into four groups, winner of each group would earn a spot in semi-finals.[8]

Since the 2024 edition, only club sides, excluding the departmental and provincial teams have been eligible to participate in the National Women Football Championship.[9][10]

Tournament summary

Edition Year No. of teams Winners Runners-up Third position Fourth position Misha Dawood Trophy (best player) Top scorer Best goalkeeper Fair-play award
1st 2005 8 Punjab WAPDA Balochistan Sindh Munazzeh Shahid Khalida Noor Islamabad
2nd 2006 12 WAPDA Islamabad Balochistan Red Sindh Greens Mejzgaan Orakzai Rifat Mehdi
3rd 2007 14 Sports Sciences Department Afghanistang Diya Balochistan Rifat Mehdi
4th 2008 13 Young Rising Stars WAPDA Sports Sciences Department Islamabad Nadia Bhatti Hajra Khan Saba Awan Islamabad
5th 2009 13 Malavan BAg Sports Sciences Department Young Rising Stars WAPDA Mariam Irandost
6th 2010 12 Young Rising Stars WAPDA Sports Sciences Department Islamabad Hajra Khan Malika-e-Noor Syeda Mahpara
7th 2011 16 Young Rising Stars Diya WAPDA Balochistan United Hajra Khan Malika-e-Noor Syeda Mahpara Balochistan United
8th 2012 12 Young Rising Stars WAPDA Balochistan United Islamabad Asmara Habib Kiani Hajra Khan Syeda Mahpara Vehari United
9th 2013 16 Young Rising Stars Balochistan United Pakistan Army Islamabad
10th 2014 16 Balochistan United WAPDA Pakistan Army Diya Malika-e-Noor Hajra Khan Syeda Mahpara Pakistan Army
11th 2018 14 Pakistan Army WAPDA Punjab Karachi United Khadija Masooma Chaudhry Syeda Mahpara Punjab
12th 2019– 2020 20 (qual.)

8 (final round)

Pakistan Army Karachi United WAPDA Punjab Suha Herani Sahar Zaman Syeda Mahpara
n/a 2021 19 Cancelled midway
13th 2024 24 Karachi City Legacy Karachi United Hazara Quetta Nadia Khan Eman Mustafa Nisha Ashraf Hazara Quetta

List of finals

Edition Year Winners Score Runners up Scorers Venue
1st 2005 Punjab 1–0 WAPDA Punjab: Shika Nazir Masih 53' Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[11][1]
2nd 2006
WAPDA
 1–0 Islamabad WAPDA: Misbah Siddiqui Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[12]
3rd 2007 Sports Sciences Department 1–0 Afghanistang Sports Sciences Department: Ayesha Khan 26' Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[13]
4th 2008 Young Rising Stars 0–0 (a.e.t)
(5–4 pen.) 		WAPDA Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[14]
5th 2009 Malavan BAg 11–0 Sports Sciences Department Malavan BA: Fereshteh Karimi 2', 5', Maryam Irandost 26', 37', Neda Abdollahzadeh 30', Sara Ghomi Marzdahti 35', Fatemeh Arzhangi 43', Hajar Shahmalekpour 56', 59', 68', Sepideh Nazhati 70' Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[15][16]
6th 2010 Young Rising Stars 2-0 WAPDA Young Rising Stars: Malika-e-Noor 20', Asma Yaseen 55' Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[17]
7th 2011 Young Rising Stars 1–1 (a.e.t)
(4–3 pen.) 		Diya Young Rising Stars: Malika-e-Noor 50' (pen.)
Diya: Hajra Khan 18' 		Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[18]
8th 2012 Young Rising Stars 1–1 (a.e.t)
(2–0 pen.) 		WAPDA Young Rising Stars: Sana Mahmud 45'
WAPDA: Mahwish 49' 		Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad
9th 2013 Young Rising Stars 0–0 (a.e.t)
(3–2 pen.) 		Balochistan United Punjab Stadium, Lahore[2]
10th 2014 Balochistan United 7–0 WAPDA Balochistan United: Hajra Khan 4', 24', 39', Shahlyla Ahmadzai 54', Joyana 50', 90+2', Nadia 60' Punjab Stadium, Lahore
11th 2018 Pakistan Army 1–1 (a.e.t)
(3–0 pen.) 		WAPDA Pakistan Army: Khadija 41'

WAPDA: Sidra 44'

Punjab Stadium, Lahore[19]
12th 2019- 2020 Pakistan Army 7–1 Karachi United Pakistan Army: Hajra 3', Eshal 25', 81', Alina 37', 90+3', Malika 40', Aliza 80' Karachi United: Suha Hirani 49' Karachi United Stadium, Karachi[20]
13th 2024 Karachi City 4–0 Legacy Karachi City: Rameen Farid 14', Sanah Mehdi 28', Zahmena Malik 52', Zulfia Nazir 75' Jinnah Stadium, Islamabad[3][4]

Performance by club

Club Winners Runners-up Winning year(s) Runner-up years
Young Rising Stars 5 0 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Pakistan Army 2 0 2018, 2019-2020
WAPDA 1 6 2006 2005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018
Balochistan United 1 1 2014 2013
Sports Sciences Department, University of the Punjab 1 1 2007 2009
Karachi City 1 0 2024
Malavan BAg 1 0 2009
Punjab 1 0 2005
Legacy 0 1 2024
Afghanistang 0 1 – 2007
Diya 0 1 – 2011
Islamabad 0 1 – 2006
Karachi United 0 1 – 2019–2020
  • g Guest teams invited by Pakistan Football Federation, Afghanistan women's national football team represented Afghanistan and Malavan BA represented Iran.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "SPORTS WORLD: Women add glamour to soccer; Punjab lift champ trophy". Brecorder. 15 October 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b natasha.raheel (9 December 2013). "Young Rising Star WFC reaches 4th pinnacle". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b Reporter, Sports (11 August 2024). "Karachi City FC bags National Women's Football Club Championship 2024 title". Association Press of Pakistan. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Karachi City FC claims National Women's Football Club Championship 2024 title". The Nation. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
  5. ^ "PFF dedicates best player trophy to Misha Dawood". Brecorder. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  6. ^ Lakhani, Faizan (28 March 2021). "National Women Football Championship called off after PFF office takeover". Geo Super. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  7. ^ "National Women Football cancelled after teams refuse to play". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  8. ^ "National Women Football commences today". The Nation. 16 October 2018. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  9. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Sports (10 April 2024). "PFF NC announces women's championship for clubs only". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  10. ^ Reporter, The Newspaper's Sports (20 April 2024). "PFF NC faces examination, venue obstacles in holding domestic events". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  11. ^ "WOMEN'S SOCCER: Khadija strikes as Punjab lift title". DAWN.COM. 30 September 2005. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Wapda lift women soccer trophy". DAWN.COM. 30 August 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Lahore Club claim women soccer title". DAWN.COM. 25 August 2007. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Giant-killer Rising Star stun Wapda". The Nation. 31 August 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Iran win Pakistan National Women Football Championship". Mehr News Agency. 16 August 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Malavan FC thrash Sports Sciences to clinch football title". DAWN.COM. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Young Rising Stars beat WAPDA to win NWFC". DAWN.COM. 6 August 2010. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Young Rising Star beat Diya FC to clinch National Women Championship". dawn.com. DAWN. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Army annex National Women Football trophy". The Nation. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  20. ^ "Pakistan Army trounces Karachi United 7-1 to lift NWFC trophy". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 11 January 2022.