Pakistani football clubs have entered Asian association football competitions (AFC Champions League and AFC Cup) since the 1980s.

Who qualifies for Asian club championships

CompetitionWho QualifiesTeamsAFC Challenge League Qualifying Stage (from the 2024–25 season)Pakistan Premier League winner1

History

Early Asian Competitions (1985–2002) Pakistan made its debut in Asian club competitions in the 1985–86 Asian Club Championship, when Pakistan International Airlines qualified as winners of the 1984 Inter-Provincial Championship. In the next 1986 Asian Club Championship, Habib Bank entered the competition as champions of the same 1985 Inter-Provincial Championship. From 1987 onwards, the National Football Championship winners represented Pakistan in Asia, including Pakistan Air Force (1987), Punjab (1989–90), Pakistan Airlines (1990–91), WAPDA (1991–92), and Allied Bank (1998–99). Crescent Textile Mills featured twice, in 1988–89 and 1995–96, based on their National Championship victories. However, anomalies occurred when clubs without national domestic honours, such as Wohaib (1992–93) and Defence FC (1993–94), were nominated instead. All Pakistani entrants competed in the qualifying stages, with the sole exception of Wohaib FC, who became the only club to progress to the group stage.

A separate Asian Cup Winners' Cup was introduced in 1990 intended for domestic cup champions. Pakistan sent National Football Championship winners Punjab (1990–91) and Pakistan Airlines (1998–99). National Departmental Championship winners Karachi Port Trust represented Pakistan in 1991–92, and President PFF Cup runners-up KRL in 2000–01. Other entries, such as PIA (1992–93), and Youth League FC (1993–94), did not qualify through domestic cup success and were irregular nominations.

2005–present From 2005 onwards, winners of the Pakistan Premier League have represented the country in Asian competitions. Most entries were in the AFC President’s Cup (2005–2014), where KRL reached the 2013 final. Since the President’s Cup was abolished, Pakistani champions K-Electric attempted the AFC Cup at the 2016 edition.

From the 2024–25 season, the league winner enters the AFC Challenge League qualifying stage.

Asian Champion Club Tournament/Asian Club Championship/AFC Champions League Asian Club ChampionshipSeasonRoundTeamResultOpponentVenue1985–86Qualifying Stage Pakistan Airlines0–3 Abahani Krira ChakraColombo, Sri Lanka6–1 Club ValenciaColombo, Sri Lanka0–2 East BengalColombo, Sri Lanka2–2 Saunders SCColombo, Sri Lanka0–0 New Road TeamColombo, Sri Lanka1986–87Qualifying Stage Habib Bank0–7 MalavanColombo, Sri Lanka1–2 Saunders SCColombo, Sri Lanka2–2 Victory SCColombo, Sri Lanka1987–88Qualifying Stage Pakistan Air Force1–4 Mohun BaganDhaka, Bangladesh1–3 Dhaka MohammedanDhaka, Bangladesh1–4 Manang MarsyangdiDhaka, Bangladesh0–10 Al RasheedDhaka, Bangladesh1988–89Qualifying Stage Crescent Textile Mills0–8 Mohun BaganKolkata, India1–8 FanjaKolkata, India2–1 Kathmandu SCKolkata, India1989–90Qualifying Stage Punjab0–2 FanjaMuscat, Oman0–0 SalgaocarMuscat, Oman1–1 Kathmandu SCMuscat, Oman1990–91Qualifying Stage Pakistan Airlines1–0 RanipokhariQuetta, Pakistan0–0 Al-NasrQuetta, Pakistan1991–92Qualifying Stage WAPDA0–5 Dhaka MohammedanDhaka, Bangladesh0–0 Dhaka MohammedanPakistan1992–93Qualifying Stage Wohaib1–2 Club ValenciaMalé, Maldives6–2 Club ValenciaLahore, Pakistan0–0 Brothers UnionDhaka, Bangladesh2–0 Brothers UnionLahore, PakistanGroup stage0–10 Al WaslManama, Bahrain1–1 PAS TehranManama, Bahrain1993–94Qualifying Stage Defence FC0–5 Oman ClubMuscat, Omann/p1 Oman Club1994–95None Entered1995–96Qualifying Stage Crescent Textile Mills2–1 Saunders SCUnknown3–02 Saunders SCUnknown1–9 Verdy KawasakiUnknown0–33 Verdy KawasakiUnknown1996–97None Entered1997–981998–99Qualifying Stage Allied Bankw/o4 Saunders SC1999–00None Entered2000–012001–02AFC Champions League2002–03None Entered2004 1 The match was played over one leg due to civil unrest in Pakistan.

2 Saunders withdrew in 2nd leg, default 3–0 to Crescent Mills.

3 Crescent withdrew in 2nd leg, default 3–0 to Verdy Kawasaki.

4 Allied Bank Limited withdrew.

Asian Cup Winners' Cup SeasonRoundTeamResultOpponentVenue1990–91First Round Punjab0–9 PersepolisTehran, Iran2–4 PersepolisPakistan1991–92First Round Karachi Port Trust0–6 Pupuk KaltimBontang, Indonesia0–3 Pupuk KaltimPakistan1992–93First Round Pakistan Airlinesw/o1 York Sporting Club York Sporting Club1993–94First Round Youth League FC0–3 New RadiantMalé, Maldives0–2 New RadiantPakistan1994–95None Entered19951996–971997–981998–99First Round Pakistan Airlinesw/o2 Happy Valley Happy Valley1999–2000None Entered2000–01First Round Khan Research Laboratories1–1 BEC Tero SasanaBangkok, Thailand0–6 BEC Tero SasanaKarachi, Pakistan2001–02None Entered 1 Pakistan Airlines and York Sporting Club both withdrew.

2 Pakistan Airlines withdrew.

AFC Cup/AFC Champions League Two AFC CupSeasonRoundTeamResultOpponentVenue2015None Entered2016Qualifying round K-Electric3–3 Druk UnitedThimphu, Bhutan1–0 KhoromkhonThimphu, BhutanQualifying play-off0–2 Al-HiddRiffa, Bahrain2017No League Held20182019Entry denied2020No League Held202120222023–24

AFC President's Cup/AFC Challenge League AFC President's CupSeasonRoundTeamResultOpponentVenue2005Group stage WAPDA0–1 Blue Star SCKathmandu, Nepal1–2 Hello UnitedKathmandu, Nepal1–0 Dordoi-DynamoKathmandu, Nepal2006Group stage Pakistan Army1–4 TatungKuching, Malaysia0–1 Transport UnitedKuching, Malaysia1–1 KhemaraKuching, Malaysia2007Group stage Pakistan Army3–3 Ratnam Sports ClubLahore, Pakistan1–2 Regar-TadAZLahore, Pakistan2–3 Transport UnitedLahore, Pakistan2008Group stage WAPDA1–2 Regar-TadAZPetaling Jaya, Malaysia1–1 Nepal Police ClubPetaling Jaya, Malaysia0–1 Dhaka AbahaniPetaling Jaya, Malaysia2009Group stage WAPDA0–0 Regar-TadAZKathmandu, Nepal0–0 Nepal Police ClubKathmandu, Nepal3–1 Taiwan Power CompanyKathmandu, NepalSemi-finals3–4 Regar-TadAZTursunzoda, Tajikistan2010Group stage Khan Research Laboratories2–1 Naga CorpYangon, Myanmar0–1 Vakhsh QurghonteppaYangon, Myanmar1–2 RenownYangon, Myanmar2011Group stage WAPDA2–0 Nepal Police ClubKathmandu, Nepal0–3 TaipowerKathmandu, Nepal0–1 BalkanKathmandu, Nepal2012Group stage Khan Research Laboratories0–0 ErchimLahore, Pakistan0–0 Taiwan Power CompanyLahore, PakistanFinal group stage1–3 Taiwan Power CompanyDushanbe, Tajikistan1–5 Markaz Shabab Al-Am'ariDushanbe, Tajikistan2013Group stage Khan Research Laboratories1–1 Dordoi BishkekCebu City, Philippines2–0 GlobalCebu City, Philippines8–0 YeedzinCebu City, PhilippinesFinal Group stage1–0 Dordoi BishkekMalacca, Malaysia2–0 Hilal Al-QudsMalacca, MalaysiaFinal0–1 BalkanMalacca, Malaysia2014Group stage Khan Research Laboratories0–0 Sheikh RusselColombo, Sri Lanka3–0 Ugyen AcademyColombo, Sri Lanka0–3 Sri Lanka Air ForceColombo, Sri LankaAFC Challenge League2024–25No League Held2025–26

Top scorers

PosPlayerTeamACC/ACLAC/ACL2APC/ACL3ACWCTotalRef. 1 Kaleemullah Khan Khan Research Laboratories — — 8 — 8 2 Arif Mehmood WAPDA — — 6 — 6 3 Shabbir MuhammadPakistan Army — — 3 — 3 Umar Daraz Pakistan Army — — 3 — 3 Muhammad Adil Khan Research Laboratories — — 3 — 3 6 Saadullah KhanKhan Research Laboratories — — 2 — 2 Muhammad Rasool K-Electric — 2 — — 28 Abdul ShakoorPakistan Air Force2————

See also

Pakistan International Airlines FC in international football

References