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| Full name | Pakistan Airlines Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Airliners | ||
| Short name | PIA | ||
| Founded | 1958; 66 years ago (1958) | ||
| Dissolved | 2021; 3 years ago (2021) | ||
| Ground | Korangi Baloch Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 5,000[1] | ||
| Owner | Pakistan International Airlines | ||
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Pakistan International Airlines Football Club, abbreviated as PIA F.C., served as the football sectionofPakistan International Airlines. Based in Karachi, Sindh, the club used to compete in the National Football Championship and Pakistan Premier League.
The club was most successful club in Pakistan in terms of league titles, winning nine National Football Championship titles, with their first league title in 1971 and their last title win in the 1998–99 season.
The club was founded in 1958, to represent Pakistan International Airlines in the Inter-Departmental League.[2] From the 1970s until the 1990s, the club dominated the National Football Championship.[3] Their first National Football Championship title came in 1971 when they defeated Karachi in the finals. The club successfully defended their title in 1972 when they held off Peshawar White. Their third title came in the first of the two 1975 seasons, defeating provincial side Punjab A. In 1976 they retained their title, holding off a challenge from Pakistan Railways.[4] Pakistan Airlines were defending champions in 1978, after there being no football 1977 due to martial law, but they continued to dominate Pakistani football and beat Sindh Red to take the championship for a fifth time.[4]
They defeated Pakistan Air Force in 1981 to win their sixth title. They had to wait eight years for their next title win, Sindh Government Press were the team beaten in 1989.[4]
In the season of 1992–93, they won their eighth title, when they defeated Pakistan Army in the Lifebuoy Soap sponsored league structured National Football Championship. Pakistan Airlines lost their dominance until the end of the 1990s, winning their last of 9 national championships in 1997, fighting off tough competition from Allied Bank in the final.[5]
The club was added into 2007–08 Pakistan Premier League, as the league expanded from 12 to 14 teams. In their first season, the club finished at sixth position. The club competed in 2008 National Football Challenge Cup but finished third in their group and failed to qualify.
In the season of 2008–09, the club dropped two places and finished eighth, although the club performed well in the 2009 National Football Challenge Cup, as they finished runners up to Khan Research Laboratories, losing the finals 1–0. In 2011–12 Pakistan Premier League, the club recorded their biggest when they lost 4–0 to Khan Research Laboratories at home.
The club finished their highest position in Pakistan Premier League when they finished fourth in the 2014–15 Pakistan Premier League and were runners-up in 2015 NBP National Challenge Cup, losing again to Khan Research Laboratories. In 2018–19 season, they were eliminated in 2018 National Challenge Cup group stages and withdrew from league due to financial issues, and were relegated.[6]
The club was closed after the shutdown of departmental sports in Pakistan in September 2021.[7][8][9]
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