Pakistan’s footballers on Tuesday passionately appealed to fans to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jordan on Thursday at the Jinnah Stadium, saying the home support matters a lot to them.
The national team, under the supervision of English coach Stephen Constantine, has been training at the Jinnah Stadium for the last three days for the match that will kick off at 2 pm despite being played in the month of Ramadan.
There were plans for floodlights to be installed at the Jinnah Stadium ahead of the game to ensure the match was played at night, after fasting hours, but they didn’t materialise, and players are requesting fans turn up for the Group ‘G’ game against Asian Cup finalists Jordan.
“I know it is difficult for people during Ramadan, but we are expecting a large number of football fans to turn up,” defender Rao Umar Hayat said in a video message. I request the fans to come and support us.”
Fellow defender Easah Suliman aired similar views.
Pakistan is at rock bottom in Group ‘G’, losing 4-0 to Saudi Arabia and 6-1 to Tajikistan in their opening two matches. Jordan will be looking to take maximum points against Pakistan in Islamabad and then at home five days later.
Jordan, who lost to Qatar in the Asian Cup final last month, was due to arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday night. “They will reach here around 10:30 pm,” a PFF spokesperson told Dawn.
Pakistan expected to have the services of Adil Nabi and Etzaz Hussain, who play in Cyprus and Norway for the two games against Jordan. Still, the midfield duo, who recently received clearance to play for the country of their origin, opted out and sent out a statement that they would not play under the current management.
Constantine has called up eight foreign-based players to his squad, however, namely, Rahis Nabi, Easah Suliman, Yousuf Butt, Abdul Samad, Abdullah Iqbal, Mohammad Fazal Imran Kayani and Harun Hamid, whose goal against Cambodia last year took Pakistan past the first round of World Cup qualifying for the first time in their history.
