Football fever

It is unusual for the sporting fans of Karachi to be interested wholesale in any sport other than cricket but then football is an exception.

Not only has this sport captured the imagination, especially of the young and football enthusiasts, but not many people know the substantial contribution this sport makes to the foreign exchange earnings of the country.

I know you will be astonished to find out that Pakistan manufactures anywhere from 40 to 65 million footballs every year. It is not that these footballs are used locally but the number actually represents 70 percent of the total world football production.

Now that is some milestone that we can be proud of and the hub of this football manufacturing frenzy is the city of Sialkot. This city is also known for producing world-class surgical items, which are prized around the world.

The footballs made in Pakistan are routinely used in world competitions such as the FIFA World Cup 2026, previous FIFA World Cups and UEFA Champions League. It was a Pakistani company that manufactured footballs like the Adidas Brazuca for the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the Adidas Telstar 18 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. We also manufactured Adidas Rihla footballs for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

It was but natural that such vast production did not go unnoticed and attempts were made to somehow tarnish the manufacturing process. It was alleged that bonded child labour was being used and a “foul bowl” campaign was launched. Pakistan willingly agreed to all inspections.

The matter was finally settled when the International Labour Organisation and the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce signed a partnership agreement to eliminate child labour in the manufacture and assembly of footballs in Sialkot district. A report later on stated that football production in Sialkot had shifted to monitored stitching centres from homes and child labour had all but disappeared from the industry.

Due to the wisdom and farsightedness of industry owners and workers football manufacturing in Sialkot has not only survived but flourished. This year the football to be used in the World Cup is named Adidas Trionda. This football was introduced in 2025 and was manufactured in Pakistan.

So much for football and our part in it but what really needs to be looked into in the context of football is a neighbourhood of Karachi called Lyari. This is really the heartland of football with a history dating back decades.

How did football reach Lyari is also very interesting. Football was first introduced in Lyari by seafaring communities and traders from overseas making it popular long before it got noticed in other parts of Pakistan.

Today, Lyari still leads in the case of football with People’s Football Stadium in Lyari where it serves as a major training ground for football and home of the Pakistan’s national football team.

Actually, considering the relationship of football and Lyari there doesn’t seem to be the need for a special ground for the football enthusiasts, as the whole of Lyari is like a ‘football stadium’ and specially during a world cup tournament the streets of Lyari turn into vibrant festivities and houses, shops and other structures are draped in the flags of competing nations.

Massive public screens are also installed in prominent places which are overcrowded as the residents turn up in droves to watch the matches. As it is the people of Lyari are fun-loving people and enjoy every moment during the world cup and as expert dancers respond to the different tunes that are played during the matches.

The experiences in Sialkot for the manufacture and export of footballs and the celebrations in Lyari during the world cup demonstrate that Pakistan has a great potential and can overcome all resistance and come out on top whatever the circumstances.

The people of Lyari, who mostly belong to under-privileged classes, forget their hardships; and they enthusiastically celebrate.

Football fever engulfs everyone; everything else is forgotten. Footballs made in Sialkot will be kicked around the world, stamping our dominance as leaders in the manufacture of these much sought-after items. Hold your breath the game has begun.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026