Pakistani football clubs have entered Asian association football competitions (AFC Champions League and AFC Cup) since the 1980s.
Pakistan made its debut in Asian club competitions in the 1985âÂÂ86 Asian Club Championship, when Pakistan International Airlines qualified as winners of the Inter-Provincial Championship. In the next 1986 Asian Club Championship, Habib Bank entered the competition as champions of the same Inter-Provincial Championship. From 1987 onwards, the National Football Championship winners represented Pakistan in Asia, including Pakistan Air Force (1987), Punjab (1989âÂÂ90), Pakistan Airlines (1990âÂÂ91), WAPDA (1991âÂÂ92), and Allied Bank (1998âÂÂ99). Crescent Textile Mills featured twice, in 1988âÂÂ89 and 1995âÂÂ96, based on their National Championship victories. However, anomalies occurred when clubs without national domestic honours, such as Wohaib (1992âÂÂ93) and Defence FC (1993âÂÂ94), were nominated instead. All Pakistani entrants competed in the qualifying stages, with the sole exception of Wohaib FC, who became the only club to progress to the group stage.
A separate Asian Cup Winners' Cup was introduced in 1990 intended for domestic cup champions. Pakistan sent National Football Championship winners Punjab (1990âÂÂ91) and Pakistan Airlines (1998âÂÂ99). National Departmental Championship winners Karachi Port Trust represented Pakistan in 1991âÂÂ92, and President PFF Cup runners-up KRL in 2000âÂÂ01. Other entries, such as PIA (1992âÂÂ93), and Youth League FC (1993âÂÂ94), did not qualify through domestic cup success and were irregular nominations.
From 2005 onwards, winners of the Pakistan Premier League have represented the country in Asian competitions. Most entries were in the AFC PresidentâÂÂs Cup (2005âÂÂ2014), where KRL reached the 2013 final. Since the PresidentâÂÂs Cup was abolished, Pakistani champions K-Electric attempted the AFC Cup at the 2016 edition.
From the 2024âÂÂ25 season, the league winner enters the AFC Challenge League qualifying stage.
<sup>1</sup> The match was played over one leg due to civil unrest in Pakistan.
<sup>2</sup> Saunders withdrew in 2nd leg, default 3âÂÂ0 to Crescent Mills.
<sup>3</sup> Crescent withdrew in 2nd leg, default 3âÂÂ0 to Verdy Kawasaki.
<sup>4</sup> Allied Bank Limited withdrew.
<sup>1</sup> Pakistan Airlines and York Sporting Club both withdrew.
<sup>2</sup> Pakistan Airlines withdrew.