Special Correspondent
Chitral, June 1, 2026: Following the formal introduction of the rapidly growing global sport, the Australian Football League (AFL), commonly known as Footy, in Chitral for the first time, a district-level body, the Australian Football League (Footy) Association Lower Chitral, has now been established.
Five Footy clubs have already been formed in Chitral during the initial phase to promote this unique and emerging sport. The registration of additional clubs and expansion of the game will begin soon in order to attract more young people to participate in the sport.
The office-bearers of the newly-established association include Ahmed Nazir of Falcon Footy Club Chitral as President, Imran Ahmed of Ideal Footy Club Drosh as General Secretary, and Farooq Ahmed of Kari Footy Club as Finance Secretary.
Australian Rules Football, commonly known as Footy, is rapidly gaining popularity in many countries around the world. The number of players and enthusiasts of the sport is also steadily increasing in Pakistan.
Sports circles believe that the game has the potential to provide Pakistani youth with new opportunities to showcase their talent on the international stage in the future.
It is worth mentioning that a few days ago, Chaudhry Zulfiqar, General Secretary of the Footy Association Pakistan, visited Chitral along with his team and conducted a two-day training session.
A large number of young players participated in the program and showed keen interest in the sport.
According to association officials, a representative Footy team from Chitral will soon participate in a national-level Footy event, providing local youth with an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their abilities and gain competitive experience.
In addition, Footy training camps will be established across Chitral to provide structured coaching and training opportunities to as many young people as possible and further promote the sport in the region.