Karachi Port Trust FC

Karachi Port Trust Football Club serves as the football section of Karachi Port Trust. Founded in 1887 during the British Raj, it is the oldest football club in Pakistan.^[2][3] Based in Kharadar, Karachi, the club plays their home matches at KPT Stadium.^[4] The club used to compete in the National Football Championship and Pakistan Premier League. The club regularly participates in the PFF National Challenge Cup.

Karachi Port Trust

Full name	Karachi Port Trust Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Portmen
Short name	KPT
Founded	1887; 137 years ago (1887)
Ground	KPT Stadium
Capacity	15,000[1]
Owner	Karachi Port Trust
Chairman	Shah Naeem
Manager	Mohammad Asif
Home colours Away colours

History

Founded in 1887 during the British Raj right after the establishment of the Karachi Port Trust, it is the oldest football club in Pakistan.^[2][3]

In 1964, the team jointly won Aga Khan Gold Cup along with Dhaka Mohammedan.^[5] In the 1987 National Football Championship, the club finished as runner-up after falling against Crescent Textiles Mills in the final.^[6] KPT won the National Challenge Cup in 1990, becoming one of the most popular football clubs from Karachi along with Karachi United.

The club is one of the founding members of current top-flight Pakistan Premier League, appearing in every season since the first edition in 2004, until their relegation in the 2018-19 Pakistan Premier League. In 2012, the club was hit hard in middle of a crisis as KESC and NBP signed its key players, and the consequent disappointing results and ongoing struggle with the management.^[3]

The club was closed after the shutdown of departmental sports in Pakistan in September 2021.^[7][8][9] However in 2023, the parental organization hinted to revive the sport clubs after the restoration of departmental sports in Pakistan in 2022.^[10]

Honours

Domestic

• Pakistan National Football Challenge Cup
  • Winners (1): 1990^[5]
  • Runner-up (4): 1987, 1991, 1998, 2003

Invitational

• Aga Khan Gold Cup
  • Winners (1): 1964 (shared)^[11]

Notable players

See also: Category:Karachi Port Trust FC players

References

1. Karachi Port Trust | Soccerway
2. "Pakistan - Foundation Dates of Clubs". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2024-02-19.
3. natasha.raheel (2012-11-13). "PPFL weekly review: KPT football club, oldest but not the best". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
4. "Karachi Port Trust football club information at Football Ground Map". www.footballgroundmap.com. Retrieved 2020-07-25.
5. "Pakistan - List of Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
6. "Pakistan - List of Champions". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 2024-07-08.
7. "Department players, officials remain apprehensive". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
8. "Footballers plan protest to get departmental teams back". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
9. "Pakistan Premier Football League must be held now, demand officials". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
10. "KPT set to revive cricket, football teams". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
11. Tom Lewis; Neil Morrison; Novan Herfiyana; Karel Stokkermans (2003). "Aga Khan Gold Cup (Dhaka, Bangladesh)". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 26 July 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2021.

External links

• Karachi Port Trust FC at Global Sports Archive