Although Pakistan has not been able to establish a permanent international football team but the country has emerged to be the world’s largest football supplier. The Sialkot based sports industry of Pakistan is a self-made conglomerate which reaffirmed its international recognition as the city’s football manufacturers secured the bid for manufacturing the footballs for FIFA 2014.

Named as ‘Brazuca’ the Pakistan-made footballs for FIFA 2014 have been bought by the brand ‘Adidas’. The industry unlike several other industries of Pakistan is surviving amid the intense power shortage.

Beginning its journey in the international arena in 1980s Pakistan’s football industry now secures millions of rupees in foreign exchange each year. The industry had also faced several recessions particularly in the 1990s when international community criticized it for maintaining child labor thus international labor covenants. It was however effectively dealt with afterwards. The arrival of new competitors like China and India in football manufacturing is another challenge. Overall the hand-stitched footballs of Pakistan are popular but keeping in view the demand; it needs to show its excellence in manufacturing machine-made footballs as well.

The industry is local and medium sized; there is a need to introduce it to the modern methods of manufacturing without compromising its aboriginal quality. Proper training of unskilled workers should also be procured.