Karachi:Al-Shams Football Club, Tiger Football Club and Star Football Club emerged city champions of Larkana, Kandiaro and Naushahro Feroze respectively and have subsequently qualified for the Leisure Leagues National Six-a-Side Football Championship.
The three teams have one moved step forward on ‘Road to Crete’ as the winner of the National Championship will qualify to represent Pakistan in the second edition of International Socca Federation (ISF) Socca World Cup later this year in Crete, Greece. Abdul FC has already qualified and will represent Karachi in national finals.
In the summit clash at Municipal Stadium in Larkana, Al Shams FC defeated Al Mahran FC by 3-1 score and cruised into the Leisure Leagues National Championship where the team will represent Larkana city.
In the summit clash at Wapda Football Ground in Naushahro Feroze, Star FC defeated Friend FC 1-0 and claimed the spot in the National Championship given to each city for its city champions.
Tiger FC also overpowered Sachal FC by an identical 1-0 score-line at Sir City Ground in the inter-city event climax in Kandiaro. The team will now represent Kandiaro in the National Championship.
The Leisure Leagues National Championship will be played in July in Karachi. More than 70 teams, who will be representing as many cities, will be seen in action in the championship. The national championship will eventually give a national champion, who will win a ‘prized’ ticket to Crete, Greece and get the honor to represent Pakistan in the second edition of Six-a-Side Socca World Cup. The International Socca Federation (ISF) marquee event will be held in October.
Leisure Leagues have reached out to over 70 cities and has conducted its league with an aim to give a right to every person in Pakistan, who wants to play the beautiful game of football, which is the vision of Mr. Mehmood Trunkwala, Chairman World Group. Leisure Leagues is the initiative of the World Group and Trunkwala Family.
There are almost 20 cities of the country where LLP has hosted more than one league – therefore it will hold intra-city championships in those cities so that a city champion can emerge from there as well, similar to Karachi.
The city champion teams will be divided in groups of four teams each to play group stage matches in their respective regions. Top 20 teams will play in the LLP National Finals in Karachi in July this year.