LAHORE: On a lush green ground in the Model Town area of Lahore, 50 football players from different parts of Pakistan are preparing to challenge for the Asian Games title in August in Jakarta.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has arranged the training camp to prepare the national team for the Asian Games and South Asian Football Championship a month later in Bangladesh.
Brazilian coach Jose Antonio Nogueira is leading a team of eight coaches honing the players’ skills. Another Brazilian trainer, Jose Roberto Portella, is working hard to improve players’ fitness.
The camp is the PFF’s first comprehensive exercise since FIFA lifted a ban on Pakistan football on March 13, paving the way for foreign coaches to work in the country.
Nogueira will work with the national team for three years while his salary is paid by the Bahrain Football Association.
“The game of football (in Pakistan) was ruined in the past three years. We have just started from scratch,” said Shahid Khokhar, PFF’s director of league development and media.
“The PFF picked this talent from the national championship. We hope we will get a good team to represent the country. We will select 25 players from this squad,” Khokhar told Arab News.
Before taking part in the Asian Games, the national team will play four international friendly matches after a 15-day training camp.
The PFF is also trying to arrange an international friendly with Afghanistan, he said.
Ramadan observations and high daytime temperatures mean training at the camp takes place at night.
“I want to get a place in the national team. I’m working hard on fitness and to learn modern technique,” Vicky Baloch, a player at the camp, told Arab News.
Nogueira said that Pakistan’s players have talent but need to learn “modern football.”
“They play old football, and I am teaching them the modern game. They have the potential and will make a good team,” he said.
Syed Faisal Salah Hayat, PFF’s president, said he was happy with playing standards on display at the camp.
“The players are provided with proper coaching and facilities to bring the team’s fitness to global standards,” he said.
Pakistan football squad begins Asian Games campaign
Pakistan football squad begins Asian Games campaign
- The training camp will prepare the players for Asian Games and South Asian Football Championship matches coming up in August and September this year respectively
- The Brazilian trainer, Jose Roberto Portella, using his experience, will be able to make these players super-fit,” the PFF said in a recently released statement
International field confirmed for LIV Golf Promotions at Black Diamond
- The four-day, 72-hole stroke play event presents one of the most dynamic entry points into the global golf ecosystem
NEW YORK: LIV Golf on Monday announced the preliminary field for the third edition of LIV Golf Promotions, set for Jan. 8–11, 2026, at the acclaimed Black Diamond Ranch in Lecanto, Florida.
The four-day, 72-hole stroke play event presents one of the most dynamic entry points into the global golf ecosystem, offering coveted spots in the 2026 LIV Golf League and The International Series, sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Highlighting the global aspect of the LIV Golf League, leading players from all over the world are eligible to participate, with 87 players representing 24 countries registered to compete.
This year’s field features a strong blend of emerging global talent and proven professionals, with an average age of 30 years old, including former top-50-ranked players, Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup participants, winners on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour, and additional rising stars in the game.
“The evolution of LIV Golf Promotions reflects our continued commitment to creating truly open and competitive pathways for players from all over the world to compete at the sport’s highest levels,” said LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil.
“We’re seeing world-class talent, from decorated former amateurs to experienced professionals, all seizing the opportunity to compete for their place in the League alongside major champions, Hall of Famers, and rising stars.”
LIV Golf Promotions will consist of four rounds of 18-hole stroke play. Those who finish in the top 20 and ties from the first round will advance to Friday’s second round, where scores will reset, and the field will be joined by a category of players who automatically qualified for day two of competition. The top 20 players and any ties following round two will advance to the third day of competition, with scores reset once more. A 36-hole shootout will commence, and at Sunday’s conclusion, the top two finishers will earn two highly coveted spots in the LIV Golf League for 2026, as well as $200,000 for first place and $150,000 for second place. The top 10 finishers, including ties, will earn full exemption into the 2026 International Series.
The current field features many standout names, including:
• Chris Wood (England): 2016 Ryder Cup player and three-time European Tour winner
• Pablo Ereno (Spain): 2025 Palmer Cup player and former sixth-ranked player in World Amateur Golf Rankings
• Miguel Tabuena (Philippines): Two-time Olympian and third-ranked player in 2025 International Series standings
• Christopher Wood (Australia): Current top-ranked player on the PGA Tour of Australasia
• Yuxin Lin (China): Two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion
• Alex Levy (France): Five-time DP World Tour winner.
LIV Golf League players without a 2026 team commitment who finished the season in the Open Zone (25th-48th), as well as relegated players (49th-54th), also have an opportunity to secure their playing rights for the 2026 season.
Several returning LIV Golf players are entered in the field, including Ben Campbell, who competed with RangeGoats GC and finished the season ranked 36th in the LIV Golf standings; Matt Jones, formerly of Ripper GC, who concluded the year in 40th place; and Anthony Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner and former world No. 6 who was a member of the victorious 2008 US Ryder Cup team, finishing the season ranked 55th.
For more information, including the list of eligibility criteria, visit LIVGolf.com.
