Geo Super Football League

Last updated
Geo Super League
GeoLeague.jpg
Organising body Pakistan Football Federation
Founded2007
First season2007
Folded2010
Country Pakistan
Confederation AFC
Number of teams5
Last championsKarachi Energy
(2010)
Most championshipsIslamabad United
Karachi Energy
TV partners GEO Super
Website Geo SFL official site

The Geo Super Football League or SFL was the first professional inter-city football league of Pakistan, with support of the Pakistan Football Federation. It was established in 2007 and telecasted live via GEO Super. The SFL ran separate to the Pakistan Premier League. The league did not continue because the organisers and sponsors reportedly did not want to work with the Pakistan Football Federation again. [1]

Contents

In the first two seasons all matches were played in Karachi's Peoples Football Stadium. [2]

History

Geo TV Network and the Pakistan Football Federation came together in 2006 and began work on establishing Pakistan's first national inter-city football league to be televised on GEO Super. [3] The Geo Super Football League (SFL) was created as a way to fuse Pakistan's football talent and to further develop football in the country.

The teams were privately owned and non departmental, they representing Pakistan's major cities. [2] Aspiring stars were selected after a gruelling nationwide scouting actions. Over a hundred matches were held in all the locations in varying weather conditions. Each player was given an ample chance to prove through these matches, which revealed ability to perform.

The league gave live coverage to domestic footballers for the first time. The league attracted large crowds and good level of play was on display for a nationwide audience. However, with a lack of long term support from Pakistan Football Federation, the league was discontinued until summer 2010, when K-Electric stepped in to support the venture with another SFL season. and merited a second attempt in 2010. [1] [3] However, the league did not continue because the organisers and sponsors reportedly did not want to work with the Pakistan Football Federation again. [1] The reason was largely because Geo Super conducted it purely for commercial reasons, while the Pakistan Football Federation failed to cash in on it for the long term betterment of football in the country. [3]

Training camps

Thirty players for each of the five teams were tested for their football skills, as well as mental and physical toughness. Individual and team drills with conditioning were the main focus of the training camps, to prepare the teams for their first ever national exposure. [4]

Teams

The league was made up of five teams, representatives of different cities. Each team was composed of national and international players. For the first time the best players of the nation came together under the umbrella of these five cities for the inter-city football league. The names of the teams were the following: [4]

Records & statistics

Top scorer

Best player

Results

YearHostWinnerScoreRunners-upLosing semifinalists
(no third place match)
2007
Details
Karachi
Islamabad United
0–0
(a.e.t.)
(4–3 pens.)

Karachi Bazigar
Quetta Zorawar
Lahore Lajpaals F.C.
2010
Details
Karachi
Karachi Energy
1–0
Quetta Zorawar
Islamabad United
Lahore Lajpaals F.C.

See also

Related Research Articles

Muhammad Essa Khan is a Pakistani football manager and former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is the current head coach of KRL FC in the Pakistan Premier League. Essa is one of the most well known faces in Pakistani football, due to his regular goal scoring at the international level.

Farooq Shah is a Pakistani former footballer, who played as a midfielder and striker.

Muhammad Rasool is a Pakistani former footballer who played as a forward.

The Karachi Football League is a city based football league held in Karachi, Sindh province.

The 2014–15 Pakistan Premier League is the 60th season of Pakistan domestic football and the 11th season of the Pakistan Premier League. The league began on 20 September 2014. Khan Research Laboratories were the defending champions, having won the league championship for the last three seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Pakistan Super League</span> First PSL

The 2016 Pakistan Super League was the debut season of the Pakistan Super League which was established by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The tournament featured five teams and was held from 4 February 2016 to 23 February 2016 in the United Arab Emirates. The opening ceremony and first match of the tournament were held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on 4 February 2016.

Mansoor Khan is a Pakistani professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Pakistan Airforce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karachi Kings</span> Karachi Kings cricket team

Karachi Kings is a Pakistani professional franchise Twenty20 cricket team that competes in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). The team is based in Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, and was formed in 2015 by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The team's home ground is the National Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Pakistan Super League</span> Cricket tournament

The 2017 Pakistan Super League, was the second season of the Pakistan Super League, a franchise Twenty20 cricket league established by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2016. On 19 October 2016, at the 2017 player draft, league chairman Najam Sethi announced that the final of the 2017 tournament might be played in Lahore, Pakistan, depending on the security situation there. The PCB confirmed it was their intention to play the final in Lahore in January 2017 with players being flown into and out of Pakistan during a short window either side of the final. The Umpire Decision Review System (DRS) was used in play-off matches. The defending champions Islamabad United were eliminated in the first Eliminator. The 2017 PSL was broadcast in more than 10 territories. According to Najam Sethi ratings were higher than the previous season.

The Lahore Qalandars is a franchise cricket team that represents Lahore in the Pakistan Super League. They are one of the five teams that had a competition in the 2016 Pakistan Super League. The team was captained by Azhar Ali, and they stand on fifth position after winning just two matches from their eight matches in the PSL 2016, as a result they were eliminated in group stage. Umar Akmal with 335 runs in 7 matches was leading run scorer of the tournament.

The Karachi Kings is a franchise cricket team that represents Karachi in the Pakistan Super League. They are one of the five teams that had a competition in the 2016 Pakistan Super League. The team was captained by Shoaib Malik and then by Ravi Bopara, and they stand on fourth position after winning just two matches from their eight matches in the PSL 2016.

The Quetta Gladiators is a franchise cricket team that represents Quetta in the Pakistan Super League. They are one of the five teams that had a competition in the 2016 Pakistan Super League. The team was captained by Sarfraz Ahmed, and they stand on second position after winning four matches from their eight matches in the PSL 2016. They finished runners-up after losing the final against Islamabad United. Ahmed Shehzad with 290 runs from 10 matches was team's leading run scorer while Mohammad Nawaz with 13 wickets from 10 matches was the leading wicket taker for the team. They won runners-up prize money of US$200,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Pakistan Super League</span> Cricket tournament

The 2018 Pakistan Super League was the third season of the Pakistan Super League, a franchise Twenty20 cricket league which was established by the Pakistan Cricket Board in 2015. It featured six teams, which was the first expansion of the league since its formation in 2015. The group stage took place in the United Arab Emirates, with two playoff matches played in Lahore and the final at the National Stadium, Karachi. The tickets for the final were sold out quickly, within fifteen hours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 Pakistan Super League</span> Cricket tournament

2020 Pakistan Super League was the fifth season of the Pakistan Super League, a franchise Twenty20 cricket league which was established by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2015. It started on 20 February 2020. The league was held entirely in Pakistan for the first time. Karachi Kings won their first title after defeating Lahore Qalandars by five wickets in the final.

The 2018–19 Pakistan Premier League was the 61st season of Pakistan domestic football and the 12th season of the Pakistan Premier League, and the first season to be played since 2014–15.

Muhammad Riaz is a Pakistani professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. Although his favored position is that of an attacking midfielder, he can also be deployed as a striker or winger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Pakistan Super League</span> Cricket tournament

The 2021 Pakistan Super League was the sixth season of the Pakistan Super League, a franchise Twenty20 cricket league established by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2015. It was initially scheduled to be the second season held entirely in Pakistan in February and March 2021, after the previous seasons were held elsewhere due to the security situation there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masha United</span> Pakistani football club

Masha United is a Pakistani professional football club based in Faisalabad, Punjab.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Pakistan Super League</span> Pakistani domestic franchise cricket tournament

2022 Pakistan Super League was the seventh season of the Pakistan Super League, a franchise Twenty20 cricket league which was established by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2015. Played between six teams in a double round robin format with strict COVID-19 protocols, the league began on 27 January 2022 with the first phase taking place in Karachi. The second phase including the playoffs took place in Lahore, with the Final played on 27 February where Lahore Qalandars beat Multan Sultans by 42 runs to win their maiden PSL title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muhammad Waheed</span> Pakistani footballer (born 2002)

Muhammad Waheed is a Pakistani professional footballer who plays as a forward for Pakistan Premier League club Khan Research Laboratories and the Pakistan national team.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Staff, Editorial (2020-08-09). "Football: A league for Pakistan [Dawn]". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  2. 1 2 Ahsan, Ali (2011-02-02). "A history of football in Pakistan — Final part". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  3. 1 2 3 Ahsan, Ali (2012-11-13). "Time to scrap the premier league?". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  4. 1 2 "Super Football League: PFF announces trial schedule". DAWN.COM. 2010-05-16. Retrieved 2024-03-02.
  5. Staff, Editorial (2010-09-26). "KESC sign SFL star Muhammad Riaz". FootballPakistan.com (FPDC). Retrieved 2024-03-02.