KARACHI, September 27, 2026: The opening ceremony and first match of the Manghopir Football Tournament 2026 were held at Manghopir Football Stadium in Garam Chashma, Sheikh Fareed Mohalla, with large participation from young players and football fans.
The tournament was organized by Friends of Karachi and Youth of Karachi and brought together young footballers, sports enthusiasts, sports organizers, District Football Association representatives and prominent residents of Manghopir.
Founder and Leader of Friends of Karachi and Youth of Karachi Muhammad Faizan Rawat attended the ceremony along with Manghopir Town Chairman Haji Nawaz Brohi, Patron-in-Chief Younis Mengal, sports organizers Shehzad Rind and Sajid Rind, and other guests.
The stadium was filled with excitement as players displayed their football skills during the opening match. Supporters also encouraged the teams throughout the game, creating a lively atmosphere at the venue.
Representatives of the District Football Association welcomed the tournament and appreciated efforts to promote football and provide sporting opportunities to young people in Manghopir. They also praised Muhammad Faizan Rawat for supporting local talent and encouraging sports activities in the area.
Speaking at the ceremony, Muhammad Faizan Rawat said promoting sports and providing opportunities for young talent remained a priority. He said the youth of Manghopir had significant talent and deserved platforms where they could demonstrate their abilities and move forward.
“Our objective is to provide young people with opportunities to participate in positive, healthy and constructive activities,” Rawat said, adding that sports could help young people develop discipline, teamwork, endurance, hard work and leadership skills.
He said Friends of Karachi and Youth of Karachi wanted to encourage children and young people to spend more time on sports grounds and reduce excessive dependence on mobile phones and screens.
“We want to bring children and young people back to sports grounds by reducing excessive mobile phone and screen use. Football, hockey, cricket, volleyball and other sports will be promoted,” he said.
Rawat said the organization’s sports activities would not remain limited to football. Plans include promoting hockey, cricket, volleyball, basketball, badminton and other sports so young people can participate according to their interests.
He said the broader objective was to activate sports grounds across Karachi and connect young people with constructive activities rather than limiting the initiative to a single tournament.
Rawat also announced plans to organize sports activities for women in safe and supportive environments. He said the organization wanted to create opportunities for women to participate in sports and showcase their abilities.
He added that plans were also being developed for senior citizens, particularly those aged 60 and above, with indoor games and recreational activities such as carrom, chess and Ludo.
“We are also planning sports activities for women and indoor games for senior citizens,” Rawat said.
He said connecting people of different age groups with positive activities was important for building a healthy and active society.
Rawat thanked the guests, District Football Association representatives, players, participating teams, organizers, sports personalities, football fans and residents of Manghopir for attending the event.
He said the strong participation demonstrated public interest in sports and positive community activities. He described the tournament as the beginning of a broader effort to support young people and provide them with opportunities to develop their skills.
The successful opening ceremony and first match marked the formal start of the Manghopir Football Tournament 2026, with participating teams set to compete in the tournament with enthusiasm.
