The floodlights of Jinnah Stadium have finally been installed, ahead of the Pakistan men’s national football team’s match against Saudi Arabia in Group G of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers Round 2 on June 6.
Around 225 floodlights have been erected in the stadium to suit the needs of the FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) delegations which visited the Jinnah Stadium on April 6.
The Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) had previously guaranteed the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) that the floodlights would be built before the highly anticipated match in Islamabad.
However, the procedure has been delayed because the match between Cambodia and Pakistan was held at Jinnah Stadium, prompting the PFF to request three extensions from FIFA for the submission of the venue for the match versus Jordan.
In January 2024, a schism emerged between the Pakistan Sports Board and the Haroon Malik-led PFF, forcing the federation to look for alternate venues away from home.
The FIFA standard for stadium floodlights is 1800 lumens, and according to reports, the latest floodlights meet the apex football body’s requirements.
Seat installation in the VIP area is in underway, with approximately 300 seats expected to be placed to transform the stadium’s seating configuration prior to the FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
It is a good indication for Pakistani football because the country will host three more matches after the Saudi Arabia encounter, which will take place next year in the last round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying tournament.
