# 2023–24 PFF National Challenge Cup

The 2023–2024 PFF National Challenge Cup was the 30th edition of domestic football cup competition in Pakistan. The cup competition, which ran from 24 January 2023 until 12 May 2024, featured 27 departmental teams from across the country vying for the title, which was defended by the 2020 champions WAPDA.
Initially scheduled to be held throughout 2023, the second phase was held in May 2024 after almost 15 months of inactivity.

## Background

The tournament took place after a gap of nearly three-and-a-half years because of the Pakistan Football Federation's suspension by FIFA due to a power struggle within the Pakistan Football Federation. FIFA lifted the ban imposed on PFF after the legitimate Normalization Committee body was restored.
The tournament was announced briefly after departmental sports in Pakistan were restored in August 2022 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Many of the departmental clubs were disbanded following the shutdown of departmental sports in Pakistan in September 2021. Departmental teams were then restricted to the PFF National Challenge Cup, following their controversial participation in the Pakistani domestic league setup in the previous years. A PFF official stated that from now on, there will be separate competitions for departments and clubs. When a domestic league is held, it will be solely for clubs.
The PFF Constitution stated that all departmental players need to be “affiliated with a club”, with some teams taking advantage of it such as POPO FC, which had their team playing the Challenge Cup under the department with the name of Mamsons Builders. Lyallpur FC competed under the name of Otto Cranes.

## Format

In the first phase, teams, bracketed in seven groups, competed on home and away basis. The leading two teams from each group and the two best third-placed sides progressed to the round of 16. The first phase was held at Karachi, Lahore, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Chaman, Rawalpindi and Islamabad simultaneously.
The second phase was set to be conducted from May 1 to 12 in 2023 at a centre yet to be decided. It was postponed to kick off on the 21st of October until 6 November 2023. After an uncertain inactivity almost 15 months after it began, the National Challenge Cup knockout stage was finally announced to reach its end in Lahore from May 1 to 12 in 2024. The venue was ultimately shifted to Islamabad, with Jinnah Stadium hosting the semifinals and final, and the group stage and the rest of knockout round at local nearby grounds.

## Teams

The 27 teams participating in the tournament are as below:
* Khan Research Laboratories
* WAPDA
* Pakistan Air Force
* Gwadar Port Authority
* Pakistan Navy
* Pakistan Army
* Pakistan Police
* Hazara Coal Company
* Asia Ghee Mills
* POF Wah
* Ashraf Sugar Mills
* NIMSO
* Otto Cranes (Lyallpur FC)
* Masha United
* Pak Afghan Clearing Agency
* SA Gardens
* Saif Textiles
* Muslim Hands
* Hussain Homes Textiles
* MILO
* Klash Mills
* Mamsons Builders (POPO FC)
* WSTC
* BHCC
* SA Farms
* Pakistan Railways
* Higher Education Commission

## First phase
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Pakistan Navy | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | Pakistan Police | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | Gwadar Port Authority (W) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Gwadar Port Authority withdrew due to their internal issues.

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Pak Afghan Clearing Agency | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | NIMSO | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | MILO | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | Hazara Coal Company | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Asia Ghee Mills | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | Pakistan Railways | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | Ashraf Sugar Mills | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| 4 | Hussain Homes Textiles | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Otto Cranes | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | SA Farms | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | Masha United | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Advance to Second phase |
| 4 | Klash Mills | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |

### Group E

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | WAPDA | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | SA Gardens | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | Higher Education Commission | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Advance to Second phase |
| 4 | Saif Textiles | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |

### Group F

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Khan Research Laboratories | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | Pakistan Army | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | Muslim Hands | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | POF Wah | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |

### Group G

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Pakistan Air Force | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | Advance to Second phase |
| 2 | WSTC | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Advance to Second phase |
| 3 | Mamsons Builders | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | |
| 4 | BHCC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |

## Second phase
### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Pakistan Army | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 9 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 2 | Higher Education Commission | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 3 | Pak Afghan Clearing Agency | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 3 | |
| 4 | NIMSO | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | −6 | 0 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Khan Research Laboratories | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 6 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 2 | Pakistan Navy | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 6 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 3 | Masha United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 4 | |
| 4 | SA Farms | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 1 | |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | WAPDA | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 | +8 | 9 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 2 | WSTC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 4 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 3 | Otto Cranes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | Pakistan Police | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | −4 | 1 | |

### Group D

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | SA Gardens | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 7 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 2 | Pakistan Air Force | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 6 | Advance to Quarter-finals |
| 3 | Asia Ghee Mills | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 4 | |
| 4 | Pakistan Railways | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 | |

## Knockout round
### Bracket

| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 7 May – 15:30 | 7 May – 15:30 | | | |
| Pakistan Army | 1 | | | |
| Pakistan Army | 1 | 10 May – 21:00 | 10 May – 21:00 | | |
| Pakistan Navy | 0 | 10 May – 21:00 | 10 May – 21:00 | |
| Pakistan Navy | 0 | Pakistan Army | 0 | |
| 8 may – 15:30 | 8 may – 15:30 | | Pakistan Army | 0 | |
| 8 may – 15:30 | 8 may – 15:30 | WAPDA | 2 | |
| WAPDA | 1 | WAPDA | 2 | |
| WAPDA | 1 | | | | 12 May – 20:30 | 12 May – 20:30 |
| Pakistan Air Force | 0 | | | | 12 May – 20:30 | 12 May – 20:30 |
| Pakistan Air Force | 0 | | | | WAPDA | 1 |
| 7 May – 15:30 | 7 May – 15:30 | | | | | WAPDA | 1 |
| 7 May – 15:30 | 7 May – 15:30 | | | | SA Gardens | 0 |
| Khan Research Laboratories | 0 | | | | SA Gardens | 0 |
| Khan Research Laboratories | 0 | 10 May – 18:00 | 10 May – 18:00 | | | |
| Higher Education Commission | 1 | 10 May – 18:00 | 10 May – 18:00 | | | |
| Higher Education Commission | 1 | Higher Education Commission | 0 (2) | | | |
| 8 May – 15:30 | 8 May – 15:30 | | Higher Education Commission | 0 (2) | | | |
| 8 May – 15:30 | 8 May – 15:30 | SA Gardens (p) | 0 (3) | | Third place | Third place |
| SA Gardens | 1 | SA Gardens (p) | 0 (3) | | Third place | Third place |
| SA Gardens | 1 | | | | 12 May – 17:00 | 12 May – 17:00 |
| WSTC | 0 | | | | 12 May – 17:00 | 12 May – 17:00 |
| WSTC | 0 | | | | Pakistan Army | 4 |
| | | | | | Higher Education Commission | 0 |

### Final
## Awards

    As of 12 May 2024
| Award | Recipient | Club |
| Top Scorer | Shayak Dost | WAPDA |
| Most Valuable Player | Mohammad Umar Hayat | WAPDA |
| Best Goalkeeper | Salman ul Haq | SA Gardens |
| Best Referee | Irshad ul Haq | - |
| Best Assistant Referee | Muhammad Ali | - |
| Fair play | - | Higher Education Commission |