OSLO: Pakistan once again made its presence felt at the Norway Cup , the world’s largest youth football tournament, which this year welcomed 1,857 teams, more than 21,000 players, and participants from over 100 countries in Oslo, Norway. Better Future Pakistan concluded its campaign with a place among the tournament’s top 16 teams.
“Although finishing in the top 1% is an achievement in itself, we are leaving with a heavy heart,” said Irfan Pardesi , newly appointed CEO of Better Future Pakistan . “The last two years we reached the final, and we arrived this year as defending champions after winning the Norway Cup in 2025.”
More than 2000 Pakistanis were present at the stadium to support their team, the highest for any team in the tournament.
Better Future Pakistan was founded in 2023 by six passionate Norwegian-Pakistanis with a shared mission: to provide talented under-15 footballers—primarily from underserved communities in Lyari and Malir—the opportunity to compete at the highest level of international youth football.
The initiative has been driven by the combined efforts of Farooq Ansari and Soliman Sarwar , who have provided strategic and commercial leadership; Omar Rafiq and Imran Tariq , whose experience in elite football as a player and referee has strengthened the team’s on-field development; and Imran Ullah and Atif Mir , who have ensured continuous local support, from nutrition and equipment to logistics and player welfare.
Irfan Memon , President of Better Future Pakistan in Pakistan, highlighted the players’ resilience: “Many of these boys travelled abroad for the first time, yet they remained unbeaten in their final four matches.”
Head coaches Abdul Rashid and Kristian Carlsen entered the tournament with high expectations after guiding the team to consecutive Norway Cup finals in 2024 and 2025—an achievement unmatched in the Under-15 category over the past 12 years.
This year’s appearance marked only Pakistan’s third participation at the Norway Cup . The team has already earned international respect with a silver medal in 2024, the championship title in 2025, and an exemplary disciplinary record, having never received a single yellow card at the tournament. Chairman Sualeh Ghaziani congratulated the young footballers, encouraging them to continue striving for excellence while inspiring hope for a brighter future through sport.
