Karachi United Football Club is a Pakistani professional football club based in Clifton, Karachi. It last competed in the Pakistan Premier League, the top tier of the Pakistani football league system.
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| Full name | Karachi United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Reds | ||
| Short name | KUFC | ||
| Founded | 1996 | ||
| Ground | Karachi United Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 2,000 | ||
| Coordinates | 24°48′51.3″N 67°00′05.5″E / 24.814250°N 67.001528°E | ||
| Chairman | Taha Alizai | ||
| Manager | Shaikh Hamdan | ||
| League | Pakistan Premier League | ||
| Website | https://karachiunited.com/ | ||
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Formed in 1996, the club turned professional in 2013. In October 2020, the club was promoted to the Pakistan Premier League for the first time, courtesy of a second-place finish in the 2020 PFF League.[1] It therefore made its top-flight debut in the 2021 Pakistan Premier League.[2]
They were also members of the Karachi Football League, a semi-professional regional competition. The club has also competed in the 2016 PFF Cup, the highest cup competition in Pakistan that year. They reached the quarter-finals, in which they were defeated by PIA FC.
Karachi United uses the 2,000-capacity Karachi United Stadium for most of their home games.[3] The team is sponsored by Engro Corporation.[4][5]
History
editFormation and growth
editThe club was formed in 1996 by Taha Alizai in Karachi.[6] It started its youth academy in 2001. This was followed by the launch of the Karachi Football League and the Schools Championship in 2003 and 2005, respectively. The club initiated its youth summer camp in 2009, and the next year it launched community program, as well as the women division. The club acquired its own stadium in 2015.[7]
As of 2021, it has established 12 community centers in Karachi which cater to over 1,000 children,[8] including 200 girls. In these centers, the club provides free football coaching to kids from underprivileged communities, with educational and health assistance. It also employs full-time staff members which include community administrator, program manager, fundraising manager, brand manager, academy manager, social media manager, and about 150 coaches. Some of the coaches are from the local communities while others are former national team players.[9]
Turning professional
editIn 2013, Karachi United launched their professional team to compete in Pakistan's second football tier. They made their debut in the departmental phase of the 2013 PFF League. They ended first in the group and advanced to the final phase where they finished last.
In 2014, the club participated in the departmental phase of the 2014 PFF League. They finished bottom of group C, failing to win either of their two matches.
In the 2020 PFF League, Karachi United finished at the top of group A and advanced to the final phase, where they finished second, and thus after a struggle of many years, were finally promoted to the Pakistan Premier League. It therefore made its top-flight debut in the 2021 Pakistan Premier League.[1]
Crest and colours
edit
Karachi United's colors are red, white and black. Traditionally, the club has used red as the home color and black, white, or green as the away color. The club represents Teen Talwar on their logo, one of the most popular monuments in the city of Karachi, which represent Unity, Faith and Discipline.
Youth teams
editManchester United tour
editIn July 2004, Karachi United became the first team from Pakistan to visit one of the premier football clubs of the world when its 14-member under-15 youth academy team went on a week-long tour to the Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS) in Manchester,[10] a trip sponsored by ABN Amro. The team was coached by a Manchester United coach for a week, and also played three matches against local opposition. The players took part in seminars relating to diet and on other football-related subjects. The team visited the Manchester United first team training at their facility at Carrington, where it spent time in the company of manager Alex Ferguson, assistant manager Carlos Queiroz (former manager of Real Madrid), and players such as Roy Keane, Alan Smith, and Rio Ferdinand.[11]
Charlton Athletic academy call-ups
editIn July 2006, two youth academy players Atif Sachak and Kareem Kerai, were selected for a pre-season two-week academy and community programmes at Premier League club's Charlton Athletic youth academy in a bid to enhance their football skills.[12] A few days later, both the players were drafted into Charlton's under-13 side for a match against a visiting American club.[12]
Qatar tours
editIn September 2008, the youth team was invited to Qatar on a week-long tour to play matches against the youth teams of Al-Ahli and Al Sadd, as well as train at the prestigious Aspire Academy for Sports Excellence.[13] The tour was a successful one, with Karachi United winning 3–1 against Al-Ahli's U-17 team. They also drew 2–2 against Al Sadd.[14]
In September 2011, it was invited again to Qatar on a five-day tour to train and play matches versus Aspire Academy, Al Sadd and other local clubs. The highlight of the tour was a 2–2 draw against Aspire Academy, which is considered one of the world's top schools for sporting excellence.
The academy team was invited to play a four-match bilateral series against Aspire Academy in Doha in March 2019. The under-12 side managed to win all four matches in the series, grabbing a 4–2 win in the first game and winning the second and third fixtures 4–0. It won the fourth match 5–3 on penalty shootout after a goalless draw. The under-11 team won their first game 4–1, but lost their second and third fixtures 3-4 and 1–2. It won the fourth match 3–0, and was thus awarded the series victory, courtesy of aggregate results.[15][16][17]
In November 2019, KU was yet again invited by the Aspire Academy to participate in a tri-series football tournament. KU bagged the tri-series title in U-12 and U-11 categories by winning against Turkish club Fenerbahce SK and Aspire Academy, respectively.[9]
In March 2023, KU was once again invited by the Aspire Academy to Doha for a 5-day tour to participate in a 3-match friendly series between the U-11 and U-12 teams. KU won the series in the U-12 category by 2–1, and lost in the U-11 category by 1–2.[18] Karachi United also visited the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium where they watched Al Sadd in the Emir Cup.
The academy squad was invited in October 2023 to play a couple of competitive matches and a friendly match with Aspire Academy. The team also visited the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium to watch Al-Duhail SC take on Persepolis F.C. in the group stages of the 2023-24 AFC Champions League.
Barcelona tour
editIn February 2017, Karachi United became the first Pakistani club to tour Spanish giants FC Barcelona.[19] During their week long tour, the Karachi United squad, comprising 53 people (44 players and 9 officials), was given six coaching sessions by coaches from FCB, where they learnt about the FCB training philosophy and their values. The squad was housed at the Marcet Fundacion, a renowned Catalonian youth set-up through whose ranks came players such as Keylor Navas. During their stay, Karachi United's four teams (two under-13 teams, with one of the teams comprising both boys and girls, and two under-16) played over 15 matches against local opposition. The squad also visited La Masia, the famed FC Barcelona Youth Academy and observed a number of the FCB youth boys and girls teams' matches. Having earlier also visited the FCB Museum and Camp Nou, they wrapped up their tour by watching FC Barcelona beat Leganes 2–1 in La Liga, courtesy of a late Lionel Messi penalty.[20]
Swindon Town partnership
editIn July 2024, Karachi United formed a partnership with English club Swindon Town. This collaboration was facilitated by Prospect Pakistan, a sports platform dedicated to creating global partnerships for Pakistan’s sporting ecosystem. The memorandum of understanding was signed at the Royal Agricultural University in the UK, with key figures from both clubs present. Key components of the partnership include coaching development, player pathways through exchange programs, scouting and training camps, and regular exchanges between the clubs on club management, player development, and community engagement.[21][22][23]
Players
editCurrent squad
edit- As of 1 January 2024[24]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Personnel
editCurrent technical staff
edit| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Team manager |  Shaikh Hamdan
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| Assistant manager | Daniyal Naeem
|
| Goalkeeper coach | Meer Sohrab
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| Academy manager | Najeeb Ullah
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| S&C Coach & Physical Therapist | Meekail Asim
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| Commercial Manager | Ahmed Khan
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| Media and Communications | Mohammad Hassan
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| Official Photographer | Mohammad Sameer
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| Director of football operations | Taha Alizai
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| Director of youth and academy | Imran Ali
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| Director of football development | Ali Ata
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| General Secretary | Talib Hussain
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Honours
editLeague
- PFF League
- Runners-up: 2020
Notable players
editThe players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed, represented their countries before or after playing for Karachi United.
Competitions
editKarachi United runs several competitions:
- Karachi United School Championship
- Standard Chartered Karachi United Youth Football League
- Corporate Futsal League
- Ramzan Futsal Cup
- Karachi Football League
- Open Youth Tournament
References
edit- ^ a b Wasim, Umaid (26 October 2020). "Karachi United fulfill long-time PPFL ambition". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "PPFL to begin in Multan from August 14". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "KARACHI UNITED". Unique Khazana. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ Siddiqi (19 March 2021). "Engro becomes Karachi United's Official Team Sponsor". Trade Chronicle. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Engro becomes Karachi United's official team sponsor". www.thenews.com.pk. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Pakistan - Foundation Dates of Clubs". www.rsssf.org. Archived from the original on 19 February 2024. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ "Karachi United". karachiunited.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ^ "Engro becomes Karachi United's official team sponsor". Global Village Space. 19 March 2021. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Karachi United: passing on hope with football". Gulf-Times (in Arabic). 25 November 2019. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Manchester United open their doors for Pakistani club". DAWN.COM. 6 June 2004. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Karachi United Football Club visits Manchester United". Brecorder. 3 September 2004. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ a b Ali, Shazad (6 August 2006). "Pakistani kids to represent Premier League club". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ Hasan, Shazia (28 September 2008). "Karachi United youth team to tour Qatar". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ Hasan, Shazia (19 October 2008). "Karachi United impress on Qatar soccer tour". DAWN.COM. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Karachi United's colts living the dream at Aspire Academy". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 12 March 2019. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Karachi United's young footballers make Pakistan proud with an international win | SAMAA". Samaa TV. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ Khilari. "Karachi United win over Qatar National Football Academy in bilateral 4 matches series - Khilari". www.khilari.com.pk. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ Adil, Hafsa. "From gang wars and drug lords to football fields". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2023.
- ^ "Karachi United to tour FC Barcelona". Daily Times. 13 February 2017. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
- ^ "Karachi United make a dream visit to FC Barcelona - Samaa TV". Samaa.tv. 27 February 2017. Archived from the original on 14 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
- ^ "Karachi United, Swindon Town FC sign MoU". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Report, Recorder (10 July 2024). "Karachi United, Swindon Town FC join hands". Brecorder. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Swindon Town announce new partnership with Karachi United". Swindon Advertiser. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Karachi United". globalsportsarchive.com. Global Sports Archive. 9 September 2021. Archived from the original on 11 December 2023. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
External links
edit- Karachi United on Facebook
- Karachi United on Instagram
- Karachi United on Twitter
- Karachi United on TikTok
- Karachi United FC at Soccerway
- Karachi United at Global Sports Archive