Leisure Leagues: a new vision for football in Pakistan

"Leisure Leagues is a five-a-side football league organizers that functions in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland. The brand expanded to Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Africa, other Gulf countries and India as well in 2017 and has plans to launch more competitions in the UK and around the world."

"Basically The Leisure Leagues org, uses football pitches from across a country, to give the opportunity to people from different walks of life and standards especially those underprivileged people who pose a potential to turn into superstars of football to get involved in a local league. These are generally people that have been left behind by the 11-a-aide game, which is more geared to better, fitter footballers."

Beginnings:

"In the 1980s, a group of sports facility managers established the first network of small-sided football leagues, primarily in sports halls, and in 1990, these were grouped under a single generic name, Leisure Leagues, to represent a local small-sided football league usually located outside of London and in rural or provincial towns across the United Kingdom where the potential for low-cost competitive sport was limited. In 1991, In the Midlands, the leisure managers established the foundation of Leisure Leagues, which organize 5 a-side leagues. During 1992 the league gained some fame in the midlands and the term “Leisure Leagues” became known."

"The Leisure Leagues All-stars were founded in 1998, the finest 5aside players in the United Kingdom were clubbed together to participate in tournaments all around the country."

"In 2000, Swansea was the home of Leisure Leagues' first purpose-built 5-aside venue. Till 2004 the league grew and then they decided to shift to a new headquarters on the suburbs of Coventry, hiring more than 100 employees. By 2005 Leisure Leagues reached over 100 leagues in the United Kingdom. Fleets of vans were purchased for the staff members to service and visit the leagues up and down and provide the necessary logistics in the UK. In 2006, the Leagues began trading with China and introduced vintage kits to all leagues. In 2007 the league office shifted to Birmingham. The National finals for 300 winning teams were held by Leisure Leagues by 2008 and in the next year the league became known as an acceptable European trademark."

"By 2011 the league operated over 500 divisions nationwide and employed around 400 part and full time employees. By 2014 the league was the biggest name in UK and then they started operations in the United States of America. Following year the league began their own media house production company."

"By 2017 the league truly turned international with base camps in gulf countries, Pakistan, India and Africa."

Leisure Leagues and Pakistan:

"The Leisure Leagues franchise debuted in Pakistan in 2016, with a series of exhibition matches featuring some of the world's best footballers, including Ronaldinho and Ryan Giggs. The tournaments are believed to have help draw the largest crowds in the history of 6 a-side football, and were dubbed the "Ronaldinho and Friends" games." 

"The Ronaldinho and Friends tournament featured 2 football exhibition games, one on July 8th in Karachi and the other on July 9th in Lahore. Apart from Ronaldinho, players like Ryan Giggs, Luis Boa Morte, Robert Pires, David James, George Boateng, and Nicolas Anelka also participated in the tournaments during their trip to Pakistan."

"This event witnessed a big milestone for Pakistani football fans, as they were able to see their favourite players in a stadium in their own nation, which had never happened before in the country's football history. Thousands of fans travelled to both cities' stadiums to watch these players compete, it was a dream come true for the youth and football fanatics in Pakistan."

"The Leisure Leagues is launched in Pakistan to promote the future of the sport in the region, offering Pakistani football players the chance to be trained by international coaches and play international. In Pakistan, players can play on thousands of football pitches and compete for scholarships to international colleges and universities."

Empowering woman:

"Women's football and women's welfare too are important to the Leisure Leagues. Leisure Leagues held a competition in March 2020 to commemorate International Women's Day, and Agha Khan W.F.C. emerged victorious from a division of eight teams. It held the Leisure Leagues Women Football's Pink Cup 2020 during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is held every year in October, and was won by Diya W.F.C. out of 8 teams."