Football writing worth reading.
On the culture, the rankings system, and the quiet work of building Pakistan's football record from the ground up.
Football in Karachi: The Undocumented Game
Karachi has Pakistan's strongest and oldest grassroots football tradition. From Lyari to Orangi to Defence, the city plays constantly. Almost nothing is on record.
1 May 2025
Football in Lahore: A City of Clubs Without a Record
Lahore has hundreds of active football clubs, a rich futsal culture, and evening tournaments running across the city every week. Almost none of it has ever been written down.
20 April 2025
Sialkot: The City That Makes the World's Footballs
Sialkot has made the majority of the world's hand-stitched footballs for generations. Now it's building the record of its own game.
5 April 2025
Pakistan Football's Two Infrastructure Problems
Everyone talks about pitches. But Pakistan football has two infrastructure problems: physical and administrative. Fixing only one produces half a solution.
20 March 2025
Colours, Crest, Continuity: How Football Clubs Build Identity
What separates a football club from a group of players who happen to play together? Name, visual identity, and a record that persists across seasons. Here's why that distinction matters.
1 March 2025
Football Tournaments in Islamabad: Where the City Plays
Islamabad's football happens on sector grounds, private futsal courts, and university pitches. It has been happening for decades. This is what the capital's tournament culture actually looks like.
15 February 2025
How ELO Rankings Work in Football, and Why They Matter
ELO is borrowed from chess, but its logic is pure football: beat stronger opponents, earn more. Here's how it gives Pakistan's grassroots game a real, honest ranking system.
1 February 2025
Pakistan's Hidden Game: The State of Grassroots Football
From Islamabad's concrete grounds to Karachi's neighborhood turfs. Pakistan has always had football. What it was missing was a system to count it, record it, and remember it.
15 January 2025