National Women Football Championship Explained

National Women's Football Championship
Country:Pakistan
Organiser:Pakistan Football Federation
Teams:24 (2024)
Champions:Karachi City (1rst title)
Most Champs:Young Rising Stars (5 titles)
Tv:PTV Sports
Current:2024 National Women Football Championship

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.

On 4 August 2010, Pakistan Football Federation 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]

For the 2021 competition, 20 teams divided into four groups were originally supposed to participate in 59 scheduled matches, but one of them withdrew before the tournament commenced.

Since the 2024 National Women Football Championship, only club sides, excluding the departmental and provincial teams are able to take part from now on.[9] [10]

Tournament summary

EditionYearNo. of teamsWinnersRunners-upThird positionFourth positionMisha Dawood Trophy (best player)Top scorerBest goalkeeperFair-play award
1st20058PunjabWAPDABalochistanSindhMunazzeh ShahidKhalida NoorIslamabad
2nd200612WAPDAIslamabadBalochistan RedSindh GreensMejzgaan OrakzaiRifat Mehdi
3rd200714Sports Sciences DepartmentAfghanistangDiyaBalochistanRifat Mehdi
4th200813Young Rising StarsWAPDASports Sciences DepartmentIslamabadNadia BhattiHajra KhanSaba AwanIslamabad
5th200913Malavan BAgSports Sciences DepartmentYoung Rising StarsWAPDAMariam Irandost
6th201012Young Rising StarsWAPDASports Sciences DepartmentIslamabadHajra KhanMalika-e-NoorSyeda Mahpara
7th201116Young Rising StarsDiyaWAPDABalochistan UnitedHajra KhanMalika-e-NoorSyeda MahparaBalochistan United
8th201212Young Rising StarsWAPDABalochistan UnitedIslamabadAsmara Habib KianiHajra KhanSyeda MahparaVehari United
9th201316Young Rising StarsBalochistan UnitedPakistan ArmyIslamabad
10th201416Balochistan UnitedWAPDAPakistan ArmyDiyaMalika-e-NoorHajra KhanSyeda MahparaPakistan Army
11th201814Pakistan ArmyWAPDAPunjabKarachi UnitedKhadijaMasooma ChaudhrySyeda MahparaPunjab
12th2019– 202020 (qual.)8 (final round)Pakistan ArmyKarachi UnitedWAPDAPunjabSuha HeraniSahar ZamanSyeda Mahpara
13th202119Cancelled midwayn/an/an/an/an/an/an/a
14th202424Karachi CityLegacyKarachi UnitedHazara QuettaNadia KhanEman MustafaNisha AshrafHazara Quetta

List of finals

EditionYearWinnersScoreRunners upScorersVenue
1st2005Punjab1–0WAPDAPunjab: Shika Nazir Masih Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[11]
2nd20061–0IslamabadWAPDA: Misbah SiddiquiJinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[12]
3rd2007Sports Sciences Department1–0AfghanistangSports Sciences Department: Ayesha Khan Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[13]
4th2008Young Rising Stars0–0 (a.e.t)
(5–4 pen.)
WAPDAJinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[14]
5th2009Malavan BAg11–0Sports Sciences DepartmentMalavan BA

Fereshteh Karimi, Maryam Irandost, Neda Abdollahzadeh, Sara Ghomi Marzdahti, Fatemeh Arzhangi, Hajar Shahmalekpour, Sepideh Nazhati

Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[15] [16]
6th2010Young Rising Stars2-0WAPDAYoung Rising Stars

Malika-e-Noor, Asma Yaseen

Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[17]
7th2011Young Rising Stars1–1 (a.e.t)
(4–3 pen.)
DiyaYoung Rising StarsJinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad[18]
8th2012Young Rising Stars1–1 (a.e.t)
(2–0 pen.)
WAPDAYoung Rising Stars

Sana Mahmud
WAPDA: Mahwish

Jinnah Sports Stadium, Islamabad
9th2013Young Rising Stars0–0 (a.e.t)
(3–2 pen.)
Balochistan UnitedPunjab Stadium, Lahore
10th2014Balochistan United7–0 WAPDABalochistan United: Hajra Khan, Shahlyla Ahmadzai, Joyana, Nadia Punjab Stadium, Lahore
11th2018Pakistan Army1–1 (a.e.t)
(3–0 pen.)
WAPDAPakistan Army

Khadija WAPDA: Sidra

Punjab Stadium, Lahore[19]
12th2019- 2020Pakistan Army7–1 Karachi UnitedPakistan Army

Hajra, Eshal, Alina, Malika, Aliza Karachi United: Suha Hirani

Karachi United Stadium, Karachi[20]
13th2021Cancelled midwayn/an/an/aKMC Stadium and KPT Stadium, Karachi
14th2024Karachi City4–0LegacyJinnah Stadium, Islamabad

Performance by club

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning year(s)Runner-up years
Young Rising Stars502008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Pakistan Army202018, 2019-2020
WAPDA1620062005, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2018
Balochistan United1120142013
Sports Sciences Department, University of the Punjab1120072009
Karachi City102024
Malavan BAg102009
Punjab102005
Legacy012024
Afghanistang012007
Diya012011
Islamabad012006
Karachi United012019–2020

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2005-10-15. SPORTS WORLD: Women add glamour to soccer; Punjab lift champ trophy. 2022-01-11. Brecorder. en.
  2. Web site: natasha.raheel . 2013-12-09 . Young Rising Star WFC reaches 4th pinnacle . 2024-05-30 . The Express Tribune . en.
  3. Web site: Reporter . Sports . 2024-08-11 . Karachi City FC bags National Women's Football Club Championship 2024 title . 2024-08-11 . Association Press of Pakistan . en-US.
  4. Web site: 2024-08-12 . Karachi City FC claims National Women's Football Club Championship 2024 title . 2024-08-11 . The Nation . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2010-08-04. PFF dedicates best player trophy to Misha Dawood. 2022-01-11. Brecorder. en.
  6. News: Lakhani. Faizan. 2021-03-28. National Women Football Championship called off after PFF office takeover. Geo Super. 2021-03-28.
  7. Web site: National Women Football cancelled after teams refuse to play . 2022-01-14 . www.thenews.com.pk . en.
  8. Web site: 2018-10-16 . National Women Football commences today . 2024-05-30 . The Nation . en-US.
  9. Web site: Reporter . The Newspaper's Sports . 2024-04-10 . PFF NC announces women’s championship for clubs only . 2024-04-27 . DAWN.COM . en.
  10. Web site: Reporter . The Newspaper's Sports . 2024-04-20 . PFF NC faces examination, venue obstacles in holding domestic events . 2024-05-30 . DAWN.COM . en.
  11. Web site: 2005-09-30. WOMEN’S SOCCER: Khadija strikes as Punjab lift title. 2022-01-11. DAWN.COM. en.
  12. Web site: 2006-08-30. Wapda lift women soccer trophy. 2022-01-11. DAWN.COM. en.
  13. Web site: 2007-08-25. Lahore Club claim women soccer title. 2022-01-11. DAWN.COM. en.
  14. Web site: 2008-08-31. Giant-killer Rising Star stun Wapda. 2022-01-11. The Nation. en.
  15. Web site: 2009-08-16. Iran win Pakistan National Women Football Championship. 2022-01-11. Mehr News Agency. en.
  16. Web site: 2009-08-12. Malavan FC thrash Sports Sciences to clinch football title. 2022-01-11. DAWN.COM. en.
  17. Web site: 2010-08-06. Young Rising Stars beat WAPDA to win NWFC. 2022-01-11. DAWN.COM. en.
  18. Web site: Young Rising Star beat Diya FC to clinch National Women Championship . DAWN . September 30, 2011 . dawn.com . November 28, 2018.
  19. Web site: 2018-10-26. Army annex National Women Football trophy. 2022-01-11. The Nation. en.
  20. Web site: Pakistan Army trounces Karachi United 7-1 to lift NWFC trophy. 2022-01-11. www.geo.tv. en.