ISLAMABAD: FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on Thursday he would visit Pakistan “soon,” vowing to promote the development of football in the South Asian country. 

Infantino was speaking to Pakistan TV Digital on the sidelines of the 56th annual meeting of the World Economic Forum summit in Davos. 

“Well, I will come to Pakistan actually very soon,” Infantino said. “I promised the prime minister [Shehbaz Sharif]. Because we have now a new president of the [Pakistan Football] Federation who is doing a fantastic job.”

The FIFA official described Pakistan as a “great football country.”

“We need to bring Pakistan to the head, to the top of Asia for sure,” Infantino said. “Thank you, we are working on that.”

Pakistan’s relationship with FIFA has grown and evolved over the years. Last month, FIFA appointed Pakistani lawmaker Syeda Amnah Batool to its Institutional Reforms Committee. 

FIFA Senior Vice President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa visited Pakistan in November 2025. During the three-day visit, he discussed the development of football infrastructure with Pakistani football executives and government officials. 

Football has long been popular among Pakistan’s youth but in recent years participation has grown at the grassroots level amid rising interest in international leagues.

Local tournaments, school competitions, and community clubs across major cities have further fueled enthusiasm for the sport.

Like other sports, however, it continues to exist in the shadow of cricket. Since decades, cricket continues to remain the most popular and lucrative sport in Pakistan.