Pakistan Premier League

The Pakistan Premier League (PPL) is the first division of Pakistani football. It was established in 2004, in place of the National Championship by the Pakistan Football Federation.

Origins
Pakistan’s first National Football Championship was played between May 28 to June 5 in 1948 at Karachi. The winners were Sindh Red, beating their fellow provincial team Sindh Blue.

It was a knock-out competition, which remained this way until it was replaced by the Football League in 2004. Football in Pakistan remained underdeveloped for decades due to mismanagement, lack of support and corruption. The Pakistan national team suffered as a result, and from once being one of the strongest sides in Asia, became one of the weakest in the world.

Foundation
In August 2003, with the support of FIFA under their ‘Goal Project’ to build new training facilities and offices for the PFF at the headquarters in Lahore, and new management within the Pakistan Football Federation, Pakistan restructured the national football system. The National Football Championship was replaced in 2004 by the national football league, called the National Division A Football League. This contained 16 teams from around Pakistan, the first time Pakistan had a national league.

A second division was also created, formally known as National League Division B Football League before being named the PFF National League. This initially contained 5 teams but now has expanded to 12 teams. The two bottom teams from the A league would to be relegated to the PFF league, while the top 2 teams in the PFF league would be promoted in their place.

WAPDA FC were the first national league winners, pushing Pakistan Army FC in second place.

Because of funding problems, relegation and promotion was an issue, as was the teams continued participation. This led to further changes in Pakistani football. The following year, after more reconstruction of the national game, the National Division A, was renamed the Pakistan Premier League. The Pakistan Premier League became a 12 club league, with the bottom two being relegated. In the 2005/06 season, football was played over the winter months instead of the summer.

In 2007/08 the league expanded to 14 teams. Fixtures were now held at 1:00 and 3:00 pm respectively on home and away basis.

Structure
The Pakistan Premier League is semi pro league operated by the Pakistan Football Federation. The PFF oversee all aspects of the league and make unilateral decisions over any changes to the format, funding and sponsorship.

Competition
There are 14 clubs in the PPL. During the course of a season (which lasts from November to February) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents for a total of 26 games for each club per season. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference and then goals scored. If a side fails to turn up, the opposition will be granted a 2-0 win. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned as champion. If points are equal the goal difference and goals scored then determines the winner. If still equal they are deemed to occupy the same position; if the champions, teams for relegation or qualification for other competitions thus cannot be decided, a series of play-off matches are played between the affected teams at neutral venues. The two lowest placed teams are relegated into the Pakistan Football Federation League and the top two teams from the PFFL are promoted in their place.

Qualification for Asian competitions
The top team in the league automatically qualifies for the AFC President's Cup, the weakest continental club competition in Asia. Technically, the PFF can nominate any team to represent them in Asia; however, only the team that finished top of their highest league are sent.

Finances
The league is only semi-pro as clubs are financially weak. The PFF also lacks funds, and occasionally has to prop up other clubs to keep them going. This is why most clubs are run by companies or organisations, these clubs are known as departmental teams.

Rs 3,640,000 will be distributed among participants as bonus. Each match will have Rs 20,000 as bonus. The winner of the match will get Rs 15,000 and the loser Rs 5,000. The champions will get Rs 800,000, the runners-up will receive Rs 500,000 while the third position team will receive Rs 300,000. The most valuable player (MVP) will get Rs 100,000 while the top scorer and best goalkeeper will pocket Rs 50,000 each. The club winning the Fair Play trophy will receive Rs 75,000.The leading scorer will receive 100,000.

Players
PPL clubs have almost complete freedom to sign whatever number and category of players they wish. There is no team or individual salary cap, no squad size limit, no age restrictions other than those applied by general employment law; however teams are restricted to not more than 2 foreign players in the squad for the season and there are only a few foreign players in the league.

Players move on free transfers as contracts only last for a year, but some contracts can be as long as three years, and the transfer fees are small. Due the semi-pro nature of the league, players tend to work for the company/organisation they play for during the off season. Top players can command respectable football salaries.

Criticisms
One of the main criticisms leveled at the PPL is the number of games played over a short space of time. One team can be forced to play 3 games in a week due to the congested fixture list. The PFF’s attempts to cut costs have led to players becoming exhausted.

Another major criticism is that the league has an amateurish setup which isn’t allowing players to develop. The Pakistani club teams are considered lightweight in comparison to other Asian club sides and defeats by the opposition in the AFC President's Cup suggest that this may have some foundation.

2010 season
The Pakistan Football Federation has expanded the league to 16 teams instead of 14 for the 2010 season.Which means that last years PMC Athletico and Baloch Nushki FC will be retained for the current season.

The League is set to be held in around eight cities of Karachi, Lahore, Chaman, Nushki, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sahiwal and Faisalabad.

PPL 2010 clubs
Karachi
 * KPT FC: KPT Benazir Sports Complex
 * PIA FC: CDGK Stadium
 * NBP FC: Korangi Baloch Stadium, Sharafi
 * HBL FC: Peoples Sports Complex
 * KESC FC: Peoples Sports Complex
 * SSGC: KPT Benazir Sports Complex

Lahore
 * PEL FC: Model Town Football Academy Ground
 * WAPDA F.C.: Garhi Shahu’s Railways Stadium

Faisalabad
 * PMC Athletico: Railways Ground

Sahiwal
 * Young Blood FC: Rai Ali Nawaz Stadium

Chaman
 * Afghan F.C.: Jamal Nasir Stadium
 * Baloch Nushki FC: Nushki Stadium

Rawalpindi/Islamabad
 * KRL FC : Municipal Stadium
 * Army FC: Municipal Stadium
 * Navy FC: Municipal Stadium

Peshawar
 * PAF FC: Qayyum Stadium