The League phase of Pakistan Football Federation League (Departmental Phase) will explode into action on Sunday (December 28) when Pakistan Public Works Department (PPWD) will take on Pakistan Police in Group-A match. Other teams in the Group are Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and Sindh Government Press (SGP).
The event is comprised of 15 matches and top team will earn slot in 2009's Pakistan Premier Football League (PPFL), replacing on of the two teams who were relegated during PPFL League 2008. PFF had asked all the Karachi teams to pick field for their home matches and all of them - PPWD, SGP and SSGC - picked famous Complex that hosted SAFF Championship 2005 besides 47th National Championship 2000 and 15th National Football Challenge Cup (NFCC) 2002.
PPWD, who played the Pakistan Premier Soccer League 2005, will be favourites to win the match against Pakistan Police who won the hearts of many fans in 1998 by reaching last four of 11th NFCC at CDGK Stadium, Karachi.
The 1986 National Champion Pakistan Air Force (PAF) will use PAF Complex at Peshawar and Islamabad while glittering Model Town Academy field at Lahore's Model Town will become home environment for ELBA Pure Water Team. Higher Education Commission (HEC) and two-times National Champion Pakistan Railways decided to play their home encounters at Peshawar University Ground and Lahore's Railway Stadium, respectively.
Meanwhile, ELBA Pure Water hired the services of Model Town Academy's Chief Coach Chaudhry Muhammad Asghar. He was Railway's coach during PPFL 2006 and 2007 and he pocketed gold when Railways won the 1969 National Championship at Lahore. Asghar represented Pakistan in 1969 RCD Cup and he was coach of Pakistan U19 team in 30th Asian Youth Championship 1996 at New Delhi. He will be up against his former organisation when ELBA will take on Railways on 31st January 2009.