Pakistan national under-20 football team represents Pakistan in international youth football competitions in SAFF U-20 Championship, AFC U-20 Asian Cup and FIFA U-20 World Cup, as well as any other under-20 & under-19 international football tournaments. The team is operated under the Pakistan Football Federation.
The team have qualified for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup three previous times and is yet to qualify for FIFA U-20 World Cup. The team will also first take part in the SAFF U-20 Championship in the 2023 edition.
History
1960s The Pakistan national youth team first participated at the 1962 AFC Youth Championship held in Bangkok, with former Kolkata Mohammedan player Hafiz Rashid as head coach, and Muhammad Saleem as captain. In the tournament, the team finished third in their group, After being defeated 2–4 by Hong Kong, the team won over Singapore by 4–0, with Muhammad Aslam and Turab Ali scoring a goal each, along with a brace from Muhammad Taqi. The next match against Indonesia was won by a scoreline of 3–0. Ismail Chichi scoring once, Aboojan and Mahmood Ahmad adding the other two goals. they were eventually defeated by South Korea 0–4. Finishing behind Indonesia and South Korea.
In August 1965, the youth national team coached by Moideen Kutty, and captained by Javid Muhammad toured the Soviet Union, where they played several test matches, losing 1–5 against Kirovobad Club at Baker, where Sardar Aslam converted a penalty, 2–4 against Ararat Club at Yerevan, with Ayub Dar and Javid scoring, 1–4 against Volga Club at Kalinin, 2–9 against Shinnik Club at Yaroslavl, reducing the margin through Younus and Ayub Dar. And 1–3 against Spartak Club at Orel, the lone goal scored by Younus.
1970s
After a decade-long gap and the fall of Dhaka, the team participated at the 1973 AFC Youth Championship in Tehran led by senior team head coach Muhammad Amin, and Muhammad Idrees as captain. Pakistan would face defeats against Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Burma. With Pakistan's only goal of the competition from Afzal Qasim against Saudi Arabia.
In February 1975, Pakistan Youth took part in the U-20 Tournament of the Crown Prince in Iran, failing to advance in the group A consisting of the youth teams of Arsenal, Hungary and Iran.
1980s In October 1982, the team coached by former Pakistan international defender Ali Muhammad Sr. featured at the 1982 AFC Youth Championship qualification group B held in Kathmandu, finishing last in group B behind Iraq, Bahrain and North Yemen.
At the 1985 AFC Youth Championship qualification in Dammam in December 1985, the team again failed to get past the group A consisting of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, and Syria. The next year at the 1986 AFC Youth Championship qualification group 5 in home venue in Quetta, the team lagged behind India and Nepal.
1990s At the 1990 AFC Youth Championship qualification, Pakistan was moved from group 4 to group 5, due to strained relations with India. In the group matches held in Dhaka, the team ended last behind South Korea, Thailand, Bangladesh, and Malaysia. In the 1992 AFC Youth Championship qualification, the team this time played in the group 3 stage matches in Kannur, India, finishing fourth behind India, Bangladesh and Nepal, and ahead of Maldives.
Amidst infighting within the Pakistan Football Federation president Mian Muhammad Azhar and PFF General Secretary Hafiz Salman Butt in 1994, the division between the two factions split the PFF into rival groups. Each side sent its own Pakistan youth teams to compete in the 1994 AFC Youth Championship qualification, which resulted in a FIFA-imposed ban on the PFF.
At the 1996 AFC Youth Championship qualification group 5 matches in Kannur, the team failed to advance behind India and Sri Lanka. Two years later at the 1998 AFC Youth Championship qualification in group 6 in Bangalore, the team finished third behind India and Kyrgyzstan, and ahead of Maldives and Bhutan.
2000s After ending successful in the group 5 qualifiers, the team competed in 2000 AFC Youth Championship under Englishman John Layton, and with players such as Muhammad Essa and Jaffar Khan.
Pakistan hosted the 2002 AFC Youth Championship qualification group 5 matches at the People Football Stadium in Karachi, finishing second behind Bangladesh due to only one goal difference, thus failing to qualify. The subsequent 2004, 2006, 2008 AFC Championship qualifying editions again ended in disappointment.
At the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship qualification held in December 2009, Pakistan was stripped of the hosting rights, and the group D matches were held in Iran.Iran set to host U-19 Group D qualifiers The AFC. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 18 November 2009.AFC to nominate new host for U19 Group D qualifiers The AFC. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
2010s After failing in 2012, and 2014 AFC Championship qualifying editions, Pakistan withdrew in the 2016 AFC U-19 Championship qualification. The team missed international exposure for the next years, due to internal crisis within the Pakistan Football Federation, and the consequent suspension by FIFA on 10 October 2017. FIFA restored membership of PFF on 13 March 2018. At the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship qualification in November 2019 held in Oman, the team ended last in group A.
2020s The team again missed international exposure due to another suspension on the PFF in April 2021. The suspension was lifted on 29 June 2022.
In 2023, the team participated for the first time at the SAFF U-19 Championship. The team finished as runner-up of the tournament after falling in the final against India. The team did not enter at the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification.
Coaching staff
Current staff PositionNameHead coach Muhammad EssaAssistant coach Muhammad AshfaqGoalkeeping coach Jaffar KhanTeam ManagerN/A
Coaching history YearHead coach1962 Hafiz Rashid1965 Moideen Kutty1973 Muhammad Amin1975Unknown1982 Ali Muhammad Sr.1985Unknown1986Unknown1990Unknown1992 Muhammad Naeem1996Unknown2000 John Layton2002 John Layton2003Unknown2005Unknown2007 Bashir Ahmed2009 Gohar Zaman2011 Shahzad Anwar2013 Nasir Ismail2019 Nasir Ismail2023 Shadab Iftikhar2026 Shahzad Anwar2026 Muhammad Essa
Players Current squad The 23-man squad was call-up for the 2026 SAFF U-20 Championship.
Results and fixtures Matches in the last 12 months, and future scheduled matches
2026
Competitive records
FIFA U-20 World Cup FIFA U-20 World Cup recordHost/YearResultPosition FIFA World Youth Championship 1977 to 2005did not Qualify FIFA U-20 World Cup 2007 to 2023did not Qualify 2025did not enter 2027To be determinedTotal0/25–000000
AFC U-20 Asian Cup AFC U-20 Asian Cup recordsHost/YearResultPosition 1959 to 1961did not enter 1962Group Stage5th420298 1963 to 1972did not enter 1973Group Stage14th3003112 1974 to 1978did not enter 1980 to 1992did not qualify 1994did not enter 1996did not qualify 1998 2000Group Stage7th4103215 2002 to 2014did not qualify 2016 to 2018did not enter 2020did not qualify 2023 to 2025did not enterTotal3/41–113081235
SAFF U-20 Championship SAFF U-20/U-19/U-18 Championship recordHost/YearResultPosition 2015 to 2022did not enter 2023Runner-up2/6412124TotalRunner-up2nd412124
Honours SAFF SAFF U-20/U-19/U-18 Championship Runners-up (1): 2023
See also Pakistan Football Federation Pakistan national football team Pakistan national under-23 football team Pakistan national under-17 football team
References
External links
Pakistan Football Federation https://int.soccerway.com/teams/pakistan/pakistan-under-19/15721/