The 2016 National Football Challenge Cup or 2016 Pakistan Football Federation Cup was the 26th season of domestic association football cup tournament in Pakistani football. 24 teams took part in this competition held in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi from 28 January 2016 to 22 February 2016.

Reigning champions Khan Research Laboratories successfully defended their title after defeating National Bank 1–0 in the final.

Background

After eight months of no football action, the tournament was announced for 28 January 2016 to 23 February 2016. The PFF Cup, instead of the usual National Challenge Cup, was organised by the Lahore High Court appointed PFF administrator Justice Asad Munir. The National Challenge Cup scheduled for April 2016 was later called off due to lack of sponsorship, leaving the PFF Cup as the only national knockout event that year.

Format

Qualifying round

For qualification, 15 teams from PFF League (B Division) and 1 team from the Pakistan Premier League played in a group stage, with winners and runners-up from each group qualifying for the final round.

Final round

Eight teams from the qualifying round and eight teams from the Pakistan Premier League played in a group stage, with the group winners and runners-up qualifying for the knock-out stages.

Teams

Final Round the 8 Teams from PPL.Qualifying Round the 15 teams from PFF League, 1 from PPL
Khan Research Laboratories WAPDA Pakistan Army National Bank Pakistan Air Force Karachi Port Trust Pakistan Navy Pakistan Airlines (withdrew)Pakistan Railways Sui Southern Gas Company Ashraf Sugar Mills Social Welfare Pakistan Steel Gwadar Port Authority Sindh Government Press Pakistan Police Karachi United Saif Textiles Falcon Company Insaf Afghan Goods Trading Company Higher Education Commission Pakistan Television Bhatti United SNGPL

Qualifying round

Group I

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Sui Southern Gas220042+26Advance to Final Round
2Ashraf Sugar Mills210172+53
3Pakistan Steel200218−70
Sui Southern GasNot HeldSocial Welfare
Ashraf Sugar Mills6–0Pakistan Steel
M. Bilal 20', 55', 67' Imran Ali 50' M. Imran 53' Kashif Amin 85'

Sui Southern Gas2–1Pakistan Steel
Ahmed 25' Zahid Nadeem 51' Abdus Salam 71'Nasir Ahmed 17' Amjad Hussain 44'
Ashraf Sugar MillsNot HeldSocial Welfare

Pakistan SteelNot HeldSocial Welfare
Sui Southern Gas2–1Ashraf Sugar Mills
Saadullah (45+1) M. Lal 77'Zeshan Rafiq 79'

Group II

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Karachi United3210103+77Advance to Final Round
2Pakistan Police31116604
3Gwadar Port Authority210156−13
4Sindh Government Press310247−33
Gwadar Port Authority1–4Karachi United
Pehchan 51'Fazal 5', 32' Asif Khan 24', 41'
Sindh Government Press1–2Pakistan Police
M. Waqas 45+1' Mohammad 90+1'Sher Hassan 22' Zakir Ullah 71' M. Naeem

Gwadar Port Authority3–2Pakistan Police
Mian 24' Pehchan 75' Wahid 90+5'Hassan 43' Zaman 90'
Karachi United4–0Sindh Government Press
Ali Raza 10' Fazal 21' M.Junaid 73' A.Usman 75'

Karachi United2–2Pakistan Police
Noman 16' Asif Khan 42'Hassan 75' Monibullah 85'
Gwadar Port Authority1–3Sindh Government Press
Shahnawaz 62'Zohaib 12' Dodo 33', 48'

Group III

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Railways321050+57Advance to Final Round
2Saif Textiles312010+15
3Falcon Company302101−12
4Insaf Afghan Goods Trading Company301205−51
Pakistan Railways4–0Insaf Afghan Goods Trading Company
M.Asim 26', 72', 77' Umer Zafar 47'
Saif Textile0–0Falcon Company

Pakistan Railways1–0Falcon Company
M.Asim 70'
Saif Textile1–0Insaf Afghan Goods Trading Company
Virk 34'

Falcon Company0–0Insaf Afghan Goods Trading Company
Pakistan Railways0–0Saif Textile

Group IV

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Sui Northern Gas321061+57Advance to Final Round
2Bhatti United312030+35
3Higher Education Commission210126−43
4Pakistan Television201104−41
Higher Education Commission1–3Sui Northern Gas
Danial 35'Mehmood 5' Bahar 54' Farooq 90'
Pakistan Television0–0Bhatti United

Higher Education Commission0–3Bhatti United
Bahar Owais Nadeem
Pakistan Television0–3Sui Northern Gas
Latif (2) Munir

Bhatti United0–0Sui Northern Gas
Pakistan Television0–1Higher Education Commission
Ashraf

Group stage

Group A

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Army330082+69Knockout stage
2Karachi United320154+16
3Karachi Port Trust310245−13
4Saif Textile3003410−60
Pakistan Army4–1Saif Textile
Sarfaraz 28', 82' Nisar 58' Zahid 60'Waqas 86'
Karachi Port Trust0 - 2Karachi United
Fazal 44', 54'

Pakistan Army2 - 0Karachi United
Najeeb 3' Ansar Abbas 73'
Karachi Port Trust3 - 1Saif Textile
M.Jalil 2' Qadir 70' Shamir Taj 90+1'Ali Raza 45'

Karachi United3 - 2Saif Textile
Ali Reza 18' Fazal 50' Baloch 72'Virk 45' Waqas Ali 64'
Pakistan Army2 - 1Karachi Port Trust
Ansar Abbas 24' Rasool 86'Baloch 27'

Group B

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Sui Southern Gas321042+27Knockout stage
2WAPDA320173+46
3Pakistan Police31023303
4Pakistan Navy301217−61
WAPDA1 - 0Pakistan Police
Ahsan 4'
Pakistan Navy0 - 0Sui Southern Gas

WAPDA1 - 2Sui Southern Gas
Hasnain 3'Saadullah 78' Abdus Salam 86'
Pakistan Navy0 - 2Pakistan Police
Izharullah 68' M.Naveed 76'

Sui Southern Gas2 - 1Pakistan Police
Abdul Salam 7' Saadullah 73'Umair 14'
WAPDA5 - 1Pakistan Navy
Jadeed Khan 12', 74', 86' 57', 64'Mohsin 72'

Group C

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Khan Research Laboratories330061+59Knockout stage
2National Bank320132+16
3Sui Northern Gas310212−13
4Ashraf Sugar Mills300305−50
Khan Research Laboratories3 - 0Ashraf Sugar Mills
Adil 79' M.Hanif 86' M.Salman 90'
National Bank1 - 0Sui Northern Gas
Maqbool 57'

Khan Research Laboratories1 - 0Sui Northern Gas
Murtaza 50'
National Bank1 - 0Ashraf Sugar Mills
J.Hamza 42'

Sui Northern Gas1 - 0Ashraf Sugar Mills
Farooq 52'
Khan Research Laboratories2 - 1National Bank
Murtaza 10' Y.Afridi 21'Sher Ali Khan 81'

Group D

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1Pakistan Air Force220041+36Knockout stage
2Bhatti United201112−11
3Pakistan Railways201112−11
Pakistan Air Force2 - 1Bhatti United
Salman 33' Arif 71'Latif 34'
Pakistan Air Force2 - 1Pakistan Railways
Mansoor 28' Sohail Jr. 45'Wajid 51'

Pakistan Railways0 - 0Bhatti United

Quarterfinals

Pakistan Army1 - 0Bhatti United
Ansar Abbas 85'

PAF F.C.1 - 0Karachi United
M.Mujahid 73'

Sui Southern Gas0 - 0National Bank
Penalties
2 - 3

Khan Research Laboratories3 - 1WAPDA
Hanif 21' M.Adil 52' M.Shahid 89'Arif 82'

Semifinals

Khan Research Laboratories0 - 0Pakistan Air Force
Penalties
4 - 3

National Bank1 - 0Pakistan Army
M.Maqbool 6'

Third place match

Pakistan Air Force2 - 0Pakistan Army
Irfan 42', 66'

Final

Khan Research Laboratories1 - 0National Bank
M.Ahmed 75'

Knockout round

Bracket

Quarter FinalSemi FinalFinal
C1Khan Research Laboratories3
B2WAPDA1
C1Khan Research Laboratories0 (4)
D1Pakistan Air Force0 (3)
D1Pakistan Air Force1
A2Karachi United0
C1Khan Research Laboratories1
C2National Bank0
B1Sui Southern Gas0 (2)
C2National Bank0 (3)
C2National Bank1Third place
A1Pakistan Army0
A1Pakistan Army1D1Pakistan Air Force2
D2Bhatti United0A1Pakistan Army0

Top scorer

RankPlayerClubGoals
1Pakistan FazalKarachi United6
2Pakistan Jadeed KhanWAPDA5
3Pakistan M. BilalAshraf Sugar Mills3
Pakistan Saadullah KhanSui Southern Gas
Pakistan Asif KhanKarachi United
Pakistan Abdus SalamSui Southern Gas
4Pakistan PehchanGwadar Port Authority2

Prize fund

Prize money for 2016 PFF Cup. Teams

Achieved roundPremium per teamSummed bonuses
Third PlaceRs.100,000
FinalsRs.200,000
ChampionRs.100,000Rs.300,000

Fair Play, Best Players and Referees

TypeMoney
Fair-play Trophy WinnerRs.50,000
Top GoalscorerRs.25,000
Best Player
Best Goalkeeper
Best RefereeRs.15,000
Best Assistant RefereeRs.10,000