{{Short description|Pakistani football club}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=October 2017}}{{Infobox football club | clubname = POPO | image = POPO FC Logo.png | upright = | fullname = POPO Football Club | nickname = | short name = PFC | founded = {{start date and age|2012}} | ground = F-11 Multipurpose Ground | capacity = | coordinates = | owntitle = | owner = | chairman = Haris Haroon | mgrtitle = Head coach | manager = Shahzad Anwar | league = | season = | position = | current = | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | pattern_sh1 = | pattern_so1 = | leftarm1 = 000000 | body1 = 000000 | rightarm1 = 000000 | shorts1 = 000000 | socks1 = 000000 | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | pattern_sh2 = | pattern_so2 = | leftarm2 = FFFFFF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = | socks2 = FFFFFF | website = }}
'''POPO Football Club''', is a Pakistani professional football club based in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Primarily focused on grassroots football development and consisting of several youth teams, the club is often regarded as one of the most successful football academies in the country.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sohail |first=Shahrukh |date=2022-02-06 |title=FOOTBALL: THE DREAMS OF POPO FC |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1673479 |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ahmed |first=Zara |title=The ‘Queen’ of the field |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/us/961139-the-queen-of-the-field |access-date=2024-10-04 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>
== History == The club was founded in 2012 by a lecturer at Islamic University’s business programme Haris Haroon. The club was named after his nickname given to him by his students during his tutoring days. Initially, they took part in various local tournaments in Islamabad, but later on settled an academy for young players.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-06-19 |title=International organisation plans to develop football in Pakistan |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1189139 |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=DAWN.COM |language=en}}</ref>
The club produced a number of players for both the Pakistan U-19 and U-16 teams, for the 2020 AFC U-19 Championship qualification and the 2020 AFC U-16 Championship qualification respectively in 2019. The club subsequently hired Pakistan's first AFC Pro License holding coach Shahzad Anwar.<ref name=":0" />
POPO made his professional debut in the 2020 PFF National Challenge Cup. The club impressed as a youth club, winning by 2–1 against Saif Tex in their first match. The club exited the tournament finishing third in the group stage.
In 2022, the club developed a partnership with Futebol Clube SKA Brasil, where two of the players from the squad, Waleed Khan and Mohammad Rizwan joined the under 20 side of the Brazilian club on a temporary basis along with the coach Shahzad Anwar.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Pak football coach to join Brazilian club |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/922039-former-pak-football-coach-to-join-brazilian-club |access-date=2024-05-31 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Shehzad to coach Brazilian football club |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/939331-shehzad-to-coach-brazilian-football-club |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Goalie Basit inks deal with football club in Maldives |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/950934-goalie-basit-inks-deal-with-football-club-in-maldives |access-date=2024-05-30 |website=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>
== Stadium == The F-11 Multipurpose Ground located in the F-11 Sector of Islamabad serve as the team home ground.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Abbasi |first=Kashif |date=2025-12-26 |title=A football factory powering Pakistan’s dreams |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1963227 |access-date=2025-12-26 |website=Dawn |language=en}}</ref>
== Players (2023) == <ref name="Squad and Staff">{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/C0ZbbGmtTBM/ |access-date=December 1, 2023 |title=Instagram }}</ref>{{Fs start}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=GK|name=Usman Ali}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=GK|name=Haroon}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=GK|name=Saqib}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=DF|name=Muhammad Sadam}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=DF|name=Mamoon Moosa Khan|other=captain}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=DF|name=Abdul Razzak}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=DF|name=Muhammad Raheel}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=DF|name=Kamil Ahmad Khan}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=DF|name=Ibrahim}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=MF|name=Mohammad Taha}} {{Fs mid}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=MF|name=Mohammad Hayyan Khattak}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=MF|name=Hanif}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=MF|name=Nasir}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=MF|name=Naqeeb}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=FW|name=Waleed Khan}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=FW|name=Adeel Younas}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=FW|name=Faraz mehmood}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=FW|name=Khurshid Alam}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=FW|name=Tajir}} {{Fs player||nat=PAK|pos=FW|name=Adnan}} {{Fs end}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://globalsportsarchive.com/team/soccer/popo-fc/48866/ POPO FC] at Global Sports Archive
Category:Association football clubs established in 2012 Category:2012 establishments in Pakistan Category:Football clubs in Pakistan Category:Football in Islamabad
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