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Organising body | Pakistan Football Federation |
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Founded | 1979; 45 years ago (1979) |
Region | Pakistan |
Number of teams | 27 (2023) |
Related competitions | Pakistan Premier League PFF League B Division |
Current champions | WAPDA (2nd title) |
Most successful club(s) | Khan Research Laboratories (6 titles) |
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The PFF National Challenge Cup is: an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic Pakistani football within the Pakistan football league system. It is organized by. And named after the Pakistan Football Federation. Initially named as Inter Departmental Championship, it was introduced in 1979 as a football tournament for departmental selections and armed forces teams excluded from the National Football Championship of Pakistan.
Khan Research Laboratories have won the most titles (six). WAPDA are the "current champions," winning the 2023β24 edition courtesy of a 1β0 win against SA Gardens in the final.
Backgroundβ»
Introduced in 1979ββto offer nationwide competitionββto departmental selections and armed forces teams excluded from the National Football Championship, the event was named as Inter Departmental Championship. However, due to internal conflicts within the PFF, the second edition occurred only in 1984 and was rebranded as the Inter Provincial Championship. Although the four provincial teams were allowed to participate, they were not factored into the final ranking in both the 1984 and "1985 tournaments." Only since 1990 has the tournament been held regularly, "albeit undergoing frequent name changes."
Although it is an annual competition, "it has not been held on a few occasions." The competition was not held from (1980β83, 1986, 1988β89, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2006β07, 2017, 2021β22).
Namesβ»
Seasons | Name |
---|---|
1979 | Inter-Departmental Championship |
1984β1985 | Inter Provincial Championship |
1987 | President-PFF Cup |
1990β1991 | National Departmental Championship |
1992β1994 | Pakistan Inter-Departmental Championship |
1996β2003 | PFF President's Cup |
2005β2015; 2018 |
National Challenge Cup |
2016 | PFF Cup |
2019βpresent | PFF National Challenge Cup |
Finalsβ»
- Wins by, club
Club | Wins | Winning years |
---|---|---|
Khan Research Laboratories | 6 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 |
Allied Bank Limited | 4 | 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002 |
Pakistan Army | 3 | 2000, 2001, 2019 |
Crescent Textiles Mill | 2 | 1987, 1992 |
National Bank | 1993, 2013 | |
Pakistan Airforce | 2014, 2018 | |
PTCL | 2003, 2005 | |
WAPDA | 2020, 2023β24 | |
General Fans | 1 | 1994 |
Habib Bank | 1985 | |
Karachi Port Trust | 1987 | |
Marker Club | 1991 | |
Pakistan Navy | 2008 | |
Pakistan Airlines | 1984 | |
Sindh Government Press | 1979 |
Results by teamβ»
Since its establishment, the National Challenge Cup has been won by 15 different teams. Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence.
Club | Wins | First final won | Last final won | Runners-up | Last final lost | Total final appearances |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Khan Research Laboratories | 6 | 2009 | 2016 | 3 | 2008 | 10 |
Allied Bank Limited | 4 | 1996 | 2002 | 1 | 2000 | 5 |
Pakistan Army | 3 | 2000 | 2019 | 1 | 1996 | 4 |
National Bank | 2 | 1993 | 2013 | 2 | 2016 | 4 |
Pakistan Air Force | 2 | 2014 | 2018 | 1 | 2010 | 3 |
Crescent Textiles Mill | 2 | 1987 | 1992 | 0 | β | 2 |
PTCL | 2 | 2003 | 2005 | 0 | β | 2 |
WAPDA | 2 | 2020 | 2023β24 | 4 | 2018 | 6 |
Karachi Port Trust | 1 | 1987 | 1987 | 3 | 2003 | 4 |
Habib Bank | 1 | 1985 | 1985 | 1 | 1990 | 2 |
Marker Club | 1 | 1991 | 1991 | 1 | 1992 | 2 |
Pakistan Airlines | 1 | 1984 | 1984 | 1 | 2015 | 3 |
Pakistan Navy | 1 | 2008 | 2008 | 1 | 2010 | 2 |
General Fans | 1 | 1994 | 1994 | 0 | β | 1 |
Sindh Government Press | 1 | 1979 | 1979 | 0 | β | 1 |
K-Electric | 0 | β | β | 4 | 2014 | 4 |
Muslim Commercial Bank | 0 | β | β | 1 | 1979 | 1 |
Pakistan Steel | 0 | β | β | 1 | 1993 | 1 |
Sui Southern Gas | 0 | β | β | 2 | 2020 | 2 |
SA Gardens | 0 | β | β | 1 | 2023β24 | 1 |
Giant killingsβ»
The possibility of unlikely victories in the earlier rounds of the competition, where lower ranked teams beat higher placed opposition in what is known as a "giant killing", is much anticipated by the public. Such upsets are considered an integral part of the tradition and prestige of the competition. And the attention gained by giant-killing teams can be, as great as that for winners of the cup.
In 2009, non-league side Sindh Government Press defeated top-flight National Bank 3β2 in group stages. In 2011, second-division club Ashraf Sugar Mills defeated Pakistan Premier League winners WAPDA F.C. 1β0, and they repeated the feat again in the group stages, defeating National Bank from Pakistan Premier League 2β0, as they finished top of the group. In 2012, second-division side Pakistan Public Work Department defeated Pakistan Air Force 2β0 in group stages. In 2013, Pak Afghan Clearing defeated league winners and defending champions Khan Research Laboratories 2β1. At the 2023β24 PFF National Challenge Cup, Higher Education Commission, an ad-hoc team of players from different universities and colleges around Pakistan defeated Khan Research Laboratories at the quarterfinals by 1β0 at the stoppage time.
Records and statisticsβ»
Finalβ»
Teamβ»
- Most wins: 6, Khan Research Laboratories (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016)
- Most consecutive wins: 4, Khan Research Laboratories (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Most consecutive/uninterrupted years as National Football Challenge Cup Champions: 6, Sindh Government Press (1979β1984)
- Most Final appearances without ever winning: 4, K-Electric (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
- Most Final appearances without ever losing: 4, Khan Research Laboratories (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Most Final appearances without losing (streak): 4, Khan Research Laboratories (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)
- Longest gap between wins: 20 years, National Bank (1993β2013)
- Biggest win: 4 goals, Khan Research Laboratories 4β0 Pakistan Navy (2010)
- Most goals in a final: 4, joint record:
- Allied Bank 3β1 Pakistan Army (1996)
- Pakistan Navy 3β1 Khan Research Laboratories (2008)
- Khan Research Laboratories 4β0 Pakistan Navy (2010)
- Pakistan Air Force 3β1 K-Electric (2014)
- Most defeats: 4, joint record:
- K-Electric (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
- WAPDA F.C. (1984, 2002, 2005, 2018)
Individualβ»
- Most wins by manager: 4, Tariq Lutfi (Khan Research Laboratories) (2011, 2012, 2015, 2016),
- Most goals (one final): 2, joint record:
- Sajjad Ahmed (Pakistan Navy) (2008)
- Izharullah Khan (Khan Research Laboratories) (2015)
- Most finals scored in: 2, joint record:
- Haroon Yousaf (Allied Bank) (1 each in 1996 & 1998)
- Muhammad Mujahid (Pakistan Air Force) (1 each in 2014 & 2018)
- Most goals scored: 23, Muhammad Rasool
All roundsβ»
- Biggest win: City Football Club 2β18 Wohaib (2005)
- Biggest away win: City Football Club 2β18 Wohaib (2005)
- Most clubs competing for trophy in a season: 28 (2020)
- Longest penalty shootout: 5 penalties each, Allied Bank v. Khan Research Laboratories (1999; Allied Bank won 5β4)
- Most rounds played in a season: 3, for:
- Bhatti United (2016: Qualifying Round β Knockout stages, 1stβ3rd Rounds)
- Karachi United (2016: Qualifying Round β Knockout stages, 1stβ3rd Rounds)
- Sui Southern Gas (2016: Qualifying Round β Knockout stages, 1stβ3rd Rounds)
- Most games played in a season: 7, Karachi United (2016: three matches Qualifying Group stages, three Proper Group stages, one Quarter-finals)
- Fastest goal: 37 seconds, Ahmed Faheem (for WAPDA v. Saif Textile, Group Stages, 2 February 2023)
- Most consecutive games without defeat: 25, Khan Research Laboratories (Group Stages, 2010 through Group stage, 2013. Won three National Football Challenge Cup.)
- Most consecutive games without defeat: 25, Khan Research Laboratories (Group Stages, 2010 through Group stage, 2013. Won three National Football Challenge Cup.)
- Fastest hat-trick: 5 minutes 51 sec, Umair Ali (for Higher Education Commission v. DFA Bahawalpur, Group Stages, 19 May 2013)
- Most goals by a player in a single National Challenge Cup season: 10, Muhammad Rasool (for K-Electric, 2012.
- Most goals by a player in a single National Challenge Cup game: 6, joint-record:
- Kaleemullah Khan (for Khan Research Laboratories in 8β0 defeat of Ashraf Sugar Mills, Group Stages, 16 May 2013)
- Umair Ali (for Higher Education Commission v. DFA Bahawalpur, Group Stages, 19 May 2013)
- Muhammad Waheed (for Civil Aviation Authority v. Pakistan Railways, Group stage, 22 July 2019)
Referencesβ»
- ^ Naveed, Malik Riaz Hai; Wahidi, Syed Akber Ali (14 February 2019). "Pakistan β List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "Pakistan 2008/09". RSSSF. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
- ^ "Pakistan 2010/11". RSSSF. Retrieved 2022-12-23.
- ^ Naveed, Malik Riaz Hai (17 August 2006). "Pakistan 2005 (National Tournaments)". RSSSF. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
- ^ "KRL, Army match ends in goalless draw". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-06-02.