Afghan FC Chaman

Afghan Football Club Chaman, or simply AFC Chaman, is a Pakistani professional football club based in Chaman, Balochistan, a border city of Pakistan near Afghanistan. The club last competed in the Pakistan Premier League.

History

Early years

The club was founded in 1960 as Afghan Agency Chaman. The Nazim of Chaman Abdul Qayyum Khadakoo was one of the founding members of the club.

On 27 June 1965 they won the "All Pakistan Tournament" in Sibi which became their first ever tournament victory in Pakistan.

In 1967 they competed in "All Pakistan General Musa Tournament" held at Quetta.

Top-flight cup debut (1998–2003)

Their first top-flight national competition came in 1998, the club made their top tier debut at the 1998 PFF President's Cup, where they failed to pass through the group G, which included National Bank and Sindh Government Press.

In the 1999 PFF President's Cup, they were placed in group F with WAPDA and Khan Research Laboratories, they lost both their matches 1–0, knocking them out of the tournament.

When they competed in the 2000 PFF President's Cup, they were to face Karachi Port Trust but withdrew from the tournament. In 2000, Afghan Chaman played in an invitation tour at Kandahar Stadium in neighbouring Afghanistan against a local team from Kandahar. During the third and final game of the tour, Taliban religious police burst into the ground and stopped the game in the middle. The Taliban arrested twelve of the Afghan Chaman's players and had their heads shaved as punishment for wearing shorts.

In the 2002 PFF President's Cup, they advanced from the group E, which included Karachi Port Trust and Pakistan Ordnance Factories, until losing in the round of 16 against KESC by 4–0.

Pakistan Premier League (2004–Present)

In 2004, Afghan FC Chaman became one of the founding members of the Pakistan Premier League. The team avoided relegation in the 2006–07 season, finishing in the ninth spot, 5 points above relegation zone.

The club regularly featured in the top tier, being few of the football clubs that gave competition to well-established departmental sides which dominated the Pakistan football domestic structure in the early years.

The team returned for the 2018–19 Pakistan Premier League season after years of Pakistan Football Federation turmoil and football inactivity, finishing 11th in the table.

In 2023, Afghan Chaman was shortlisted by the Pakistan Football Federation to compete in a three-team playoff, alongside Baloch Nushki and Muslim FC, for Pakistan's sole entry in the inaugural SAFF Club Championship expected to launch in 2024. Eventually, with no club meeting the financial and requirements in time, Pakistan forfeited its slot and the tournament also did not launch.

Stadium

Like several Pakistan domestic football teams, Afghan Chaman have not own a dedicated ground. Hence the team used several municipal venues in Chaman for its home fixtures. The club usually have used Govt High School Ground and Jamal Nasir Stadium for its home fixtures for the Pakistan Premier League.

Rivalries

Chaman Derby

Afghan Chaman shares rivalry with fellow hometown club Muslim FC, which have managed to command the highest crowds in Pakistani domestic football.

Players (2023)

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Personnel (2023)

Competitive record

The club's competitive records since the 2004–05 season are listed below.

Honours

Domestic

• Pakistan Premier League

Runners-up (1): 2011–12

• Balochistan Cup

Champions : 2019

See also

• Akhtar Mohiuddin

External links

• at Global Sports Archive