Pakistan’s sports scene has undergone a subtle yet noticeable shift in recent years. While cricket is still the undisputable king, the national team is no longer what it once was and franchise cricket appears to be the biggest show in town now. Simultaneously, the achievements of Arshad Nadeem and athletes in other sports, such as the women’s football team, are drawing increasing attention. There is also the fact that digital connectivity has brought Pakistanis access to global sports on a scale not seen before. There are likely now more people in the country who regularly follow soccer and mixed martial arts than ever before. If there was ever a time for a new national sports policy, it would be now. As such, the newly proposed National Sports Policy 2026 comes nearly two decades after the nation’s last sports policy, but better late than never. The proposed draft, circulated by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB), reportedly addresses many long-standing structural issues that may have hindered Pakistan’s sporting progress, ranging from governance disputes and overlapping authority to inadequate funding and the absence of a coherent talent pathway. At the core of the proposed policy is the recognition of autonomy for national sports federations and the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA).
This is a significant shift from previous frameworks, which empowered the PSB to exercise considerable influence over sports federations, including their elections and tenure structures. The proposed 2026 policy reportedly states that national sports federations shall remain autonomous bodies, while remaining subject to governance standards, international federation rules and performance-based accountability. The new policy also formally recognises sports as a provincial subject while limiting the federal government’s role to international representation, national coordination, standard-setting and strategic funding frameworks and proposes a National Sports Coordination Council (NSCC) under the IPC Ministry to act as a bridge between federal and provincial sports administration. At first glance, the draft policy appears to both give sports bodies more autonomy and streamline fragmented sports governance in Pakistan.
On paper, sports bodies with the autonomy needed to run their affairs while still being held accountable to uniform rules and standards seem like a decent framework for success. However, reforming administrative structures, while necessary, will not be enough on its own. It has to be backed up with more funding for the different sports in Pakistan and it is hoped the policies funding proposals will deliver. Pakistani athletes need the same level of training, equipment and facilities if they are to be competitive on the global stage. It should also be concerning that even a sport that does not seem to have a shortage of money like cricket, is still witnessing a decline from years past. This is a reflection of how the rest of the world is leaving Pakistan behind when it comes to sports. It is hoped that the new arrangements envisioned in the National Sports Policy 2026 will help revive sports like cricket, hockey and squash while also giving a better platform to hitherto overlooked sports.
