The Pakistan men’s football team arrived in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Tuesday afternoon, just hours before their scheduled FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match against Tajikistan.
A portion of the team, including players and support staff, departed for Tajikistan following their home leg of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers against Saudi Arabia. However, travel complications arose when several players were left behind due to their flight to Faisalabad being cancelled twice—first due to a bird strike and then due to technical issues.
Efforts to arrange a chartered flight were also thwarted by technical difficulties, jeopardizing Pakistan’s participation in the upcoming match. The situation was salvaged by the Pakistan Air Force, which provided a private aircraft to fly the remaining players from Nur Khan Air Base to Dushanbe on Tuesday morning.
The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) expressed gratitude to the Pakistan Air Force and Pakistan Army for their crucial support. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Pakistani Government, the Pakistan Army, and the Pakistan Air Force for their unwavering support during these challenging times,” the PFF stated on social media. They also acknowledged the efforts of Chairman NC Haroon Malik in facilitating the team’s timely arrival.
Despite their recent 3-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia at Jinnah International Stadium in Islamabad, the team remains determined. “Today marks our last match day, and we are determined to make the nation proud. Thank you for your continued support,” the PFF added.
Currently, Pakistan sits at the bottom of Group G in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, having lost all five matches played thus far.
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