Karachi Football League

The Karachi Football League is a semi-professional football league based in Karachi in Sindh province and is on tier-one of the Pakistan football league system.[2][3] It is currently the most popular football league in Pakistan and the country's most popular sports league after the Pakistan Super League. Karachi United are the league's most popular club.[4] In 2015, the final standings were 1) Burma Mohammedan, 2) Korangi Baloch Sharafi, 3) Salar Welfare Centre. The 40,000-capacity[5] Peoples Football Stadium in Karachi is used for some major games.

Karachi Football League
کراچی فٹ بال لیگ
Founded2003 (2003)
First season2003
Country Pakistan
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid4th
Promotion toNational Club Championship
Current championsMauripur Baloch
(2016-17)
Most championshipsBurma Mohammaden (2 titles)[1]

History

The Karachi Football League was created by Karachi United and began its inaugural season in 2003-04 as the "All Karachi Clubs League". From 2003-04 until 2008-09, the league was sponsored by "KASB Group of Companies" which was the Title Sponsor of the event for the first six editions. Coca-Cola Pakistan is now the league sponsor.

Format

In 2003-04, the inaugural season saw 10 clubs competing on a single league basis with the famous Lyari based Hyderi Baluch crowned as champions. In the first five seasons, five different clubs won the championship until Shazad Muhammadan won back-to-back titles in 2007-08 and 2008-09 seasons. In the 2008-09 season, the league expanded to 16 clubs, with the top eight clubs competing in a playoff.[6] In 2014-15 season, 20 teams were divided into two groups. After league matches, top four teams from each group progressed into the round-robin Super League phase. The top four teams of the Super League phase then made it to the semi-finals.[7]

Teams

Group A
  • Karachi United
  • Baloch Mujahid
  • Salar Welfare Centre
  • Khyber Muslim
  • Burma Mohammedan
  • Maymar Sports
  • Islah Baloch
  • FC Rovers
  • Young Azizabad
  • Irfan Memorial Landhi

Group B
  • Azam Sports
  • Korangi Baloch Sharafi
  • Baloch Youth Malir
  • Jam XI Malir
  • Maripur Green
  • Aga Khan Gymkhana
  • Usmanabad Union
  • Gulistan Friends Korangi
  • Malik Star
  • Wasif Memorial

Winners
  • 2003-04: Hyderi Baloch Club[8]
  • 2004–05: Lyari Labour Welfare Centre[9]
  • 2005–06: Young Ansari[10]
  • 2006–07: Karachi United[11]
  • 2007–08: Shahzad Mohammaden[12]
  • 2008-09: Keamari Mohammaden[13]
  • 2009–10:
  • 2010–11: Baloch Youth Garden[14]
  • 2011–12: Burma Mohammedan[15]
  • 2012-13:
  • 2013-14:
  • 2014-15: Burma Mohammedan
  • 2015-16:
  • 2016-17:

See also

References
  1. "Karachi Football League". The Nation (Pakistan). 2 November 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  2. "Karachi Football League". Dawn. 26 November 2009. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  3. "Azam Sports hammer Azad XI in I am Karachi Football League". The News International. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  4. http://kufootballfoundation.org/
  5. https://thekarachiwalla.com/2011/12/08/city-landmarks-peoples-stadium-lyari/
  6. http://kufootballfoundation.org/
  7. "'I am Karachi' Football hopes to beat violence in the city". ARY News. 30 December 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  8. "KASB Premier League (Karachi) 2003". RSSSF. 7 February 2004. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  9. "Pakistan (Other Tournaments) 2004". RSSSF. 16 February 2005. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  10. "Pakistan (Other Tournaments) 2005". RSSSF. 6 October 2006. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  11. "Pakistan (Other Tournaments) 2006". RSSSF. 7 May 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  12. "Pakistan (Other Tournaments) 2007". RSSSF. 28 March 2008. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  13. "Pakistan (Other Tournaments) 2008". RSSSF. 23 April 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2019.
  14. "Karachi Football League". The Nation (Pakistan). 15 November 2011. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  15. http://www.footballpakistan.com/2012/05/burma-mohammadan-crowned-karachi-football-league-champions/
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