Karachi Port Trust football team

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Karachi Port Trust
KPTFClogo.png
Full nameKarachi Port Trust Football Club
Nickname(s)The Portmen
Short nameKPT
Founded1887;138 years ago (1887)
Dissolved2021;4 years ago (2021)
Ground KPT Stadium
Capacity20,000 [1]
Owner Karachi Port Trust

Karachi Port Trust Football Club served as the football section of Karachi Port Trust. Founded during the British Raj, it is one the oldest football teams in Pakistan. Based in Kharadar, Karachi, the club played their home matches at KPT Stadium. [2] The club used to compete in the National Football Championship and Pakistan Premier League.

Contents

History

Early years

The football team was established during the British Raj, and is believed to have been founded in 1887, the year the Karachi Port Trust was established. [3] [4] By the 1930s, the team was reported playing in several tournaments in Karachi. [5]

Post-independence (1947–1980s)

In 1959, the team captained by Pakistan national team left winger Ibrahim, and including other internationals such as goalkeeper Abdul Ghani Shamoo, toured Portuguese-ruled Goa for two friendlies. [6] [7] An opening game in Panaji against a local Goa XI ended in a 1–1 draw, and a second match in Margão against a Goa Selection ending in a 0–1 loss for KPT. [8] Some sources state a win for KPT in the first match. [9]

In 1964, the team jointly won Aga Khan Gold Cup along with Dhaka Mohammedan. [10]

National success and continental debut (1987–1992)

In the 1987 National Football Championship, the club finished as runner-up after falling against Crescent Textiles Mills in the final. [11]

KPT won the National Departmental Championship in 1990. Subsequently the team played at the 1991–92 Asian Cup Winners’ Cup, where they lost 0–9 on aggregate to Indonesia’'s Pupuk Kaltim (6–0, 3–0) in the first round. [12]

Entry to the Pakistan Premier League (2004–2011)

The club is one of the founding members of current top-flight Pakistan Premier League, appearing in every season since the first edition in 2004.

Crisis years (2012–2019)

In 2012, the club was hit hard in middle of a crisis as KESC and NBP signed its key players, and the consequent disappointing results and ongoing struggle with the management. [4] The team ultimately was relegated in the 2018-19 Pakistan Premier League.

Disbandment

The club was closed after the shutdown of departmental sports in Pakistan in September 2021. [13] [14] [15] In 2023, the parental organization hinted at the revive the sport clubs after the restoration of departmental sports in Pakistan in 2022, [16] however no progress was made. [17]

Stadium

The Karachi Port Trust Stadium in Karachi serve as the team own ground. It has regularly hosted several Pakistan Premier League and National Challenge Cup fixtures. [18] [19]

Rivalries

Karachi Port Trust and Pakistan International Airlines had a long lasting rivalry in Karachi football, with fixtures between the two teams described as meetings of arch-rivals. [20]

Performance in AFC competitions

  Win  Draw  Loss

SeasonCompetitionRoundClubFirst legSecond legAggregate
1991–92 Asian Cup Winners' Cup First Round Flag of Indonesia.svg Pupuk Kaltim 0–60–30–9

Honours

Domestic

Invitational

References

  1. ↑ https://www.footballgroundmap.com/ground/kpt-stadium/karachi-port-trust
  2. ↑ "Karachi Port Trust football club information at Football Ground Map". www.footballgroundmap.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
  3. ↑ "Pakistan - Foundation Dates of Clubs". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 2024-02-19. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
  4. 1 2 natasha.raheel (2012-11-13). "PPFL weekly review: KPT football club, oldest but not the best". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  5. ↑ "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Saturday 22 February 1936". British Newspaper Archive .
  6. ↑ Ray, Rishav (2024-07-19). A Game of Two Halves: The Story of the Golden Era of Indian Club Football. Exceller Books. p. 132.
  7. ↑ "The keeper of Goa's dreams". The Times of India. 2018-09-16. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  8. ↑ "When Port Trust Club of Karachi came to Goa". The Times of India. 2020-03-01. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2025-06-13.
  9. ↑ Dimeo, Paul; Mills, James (2013-10-23). Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora. Routledge. p. 82. ISBN   978-1-135-27650-8. The political agenda behind the selection of touring teams was obvious in the invitation extended to one of Pakistan's leading clubs in 1959. Port Trust Club of Karachi played in front of crowds of 7,000 and 15,000, winning the first game and losing the latter and of course symbolising the solidarity of two anti-India footballing nations.
  10. 1 2 "Pakistan - List of Cup Winners". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 24 July 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  11. ↑ "Pakistan - List of Champions". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
  12. ↑ "Asian Club Competitions 1991/92". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  13. ↑ "Department players, officials remain apprehensive". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  14. ↑ "Footballers plan protest to get departmental teams back". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  15. ↑ "Pakistan Premier Football League must be held now, demand officials". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  16. ↑ "KPT set to revive cricket, football teams". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  17. ↑ "No progress in departmental sports revival". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
  18. ↑ InpaperMagazine, From (2013-01-13). "No competition!". Dawn. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
  19. ↑ Andrew, Marylou (2014-07-01). "Beyond cricket". Aurora Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
  20. ↑ "KPT beat PIA 2-1". The Nation. 2010-09-24. Retrieved 2025-09-20.
  21. ↑ Tom Lewis; Neil Morrison; Novan Herfiyana; Karel Stokkermans (2003). "Aga Khan Gold Cup (Dhaka, Bangladesh)". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
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