Nickname(s) The Airliners Chairman Mehdi Changezi Founded 1958 Ground Karachi | Ground Capacity 6,000 Head Coach Shamim Khan League Pakistan Premier League | |
Full name Pakistan International Airlines
Football Club 2014–15 Pakistan Premier League, 4th | ||
PIA F.C. are a Pakistani football club who play in the Pakistan Premier League. Founded in 1958 and based in Karachi, the Pakistan International Airlines affiliated team are the most successful Pakistani football club, winning the national championship a record 9 times.
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Their first championship came in 1971 when thy beat Karachi. They defended their title in 1972 when they held off Peshawar White. Their third title came in the first of the two 1975 seasons, defeating provincial side Punjab A. In 1976 they retained their title, holding off a challenge from Pakistan Railways FC. PIA were defending champions in 1978, after there being no football 1977 due to martial law, but they continued to dominate Pakistani football and beat Sindh Red to take the championship for a fifth time. They defeated PAF FC in 1981 to win their sixth title. They had to wait 8 years for their next title win, SGP FC were the team beaten in 1989(2). In the 1992/93 they won their 8th title when PIA beat Pakistan Army FC. In the 1997(2) season, PIA fought off tough competition from ABL FC to win their 9th national championship. PIA were elected to PPL for the 2007/08 season without needing promotion when the PPL expanded.