Pakistan, Aug. 10 -- In a historic step for Pakistan's football, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has appointed Arooj Sohail Butt as manager of the men's under-17 national team. This marks the first time a woman will manage a boys' side at both national and international levels, reflecting a major milestone in gender equality within the country's sports sector. The appointment comes ahead of the squad's preparations for the upcoming SAFF Championship and Asian qualifiers later this year.

Butt, who has been working as the PFF's safeguarding officer, holds safeguarding certifications from FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Her expertise will now be applied to managing the team...