Every goal at the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 is being played with a football made in Pakistan. Behind this global milestone is a Pakistani entrepreneur whose journey began in a single room with just 20 employees and a vision that would eventually reach football’s biggest stage.
Khawaja Masood Akhtar founded Forward Sports Private Limited in Sialkot in 1991. At the time, the company operated from a single room with limited resources.
Today, it produces millions of footballs annually and stands among the world’s leading sports goods manufacturers.
Sialkot: The football capital of the world
Sialkot has long been known as the global hub of football manufacturing, producing nearly 70% of the world’s footballs.
The city exports around 40 million footballs every year, with hundreds of thousands shipped daily to different countries.
Experts say Sialkot’s craftsmanship has quietly shaped global football for decades.
Before entering the sports industry, Khawaja Masood Akhtar worked as a civil engineer with Pakistan Railways.
He later joined his uncle’s sports goods business, a decision that changed his career forever.
In an interview with Gulf News, he said “I never imagined I would end up manufacturing footballs,”, reflecting on his early journey.
Breakthrough partnership with Adidas
The turning point came in 1994 when Adidas partnered with Forward Sports.
This collaboration opened the door to international recognition and major FIFA contracts.
Since then, the company has supplied official match balls for multiple World Cups, including 2014, 2018, 2022, and now 2026.
Forward Sports has continuously evolved from hand-stitched footballs to advanced thermo-bonded and machine-stitched technology.
The company also invests heavily in research and development, with product design cycles lasting several years to meet FIFA standards.
Modern automation has significantly reduced production time while improving quality and consistency.
Women workforce playing key role
A large part of Forward Sports’ workforce consists of women, who are involved in stitching, quality control, and finishing processes.
The company has introduced transport and healthcare facilities to support female workers and increase participation.
Management says their contribution has been essential to maintaining global quality standards.
Despite Pakistan’s national football team never qualifying for a World Cup, the country plays a central role in the tournament’s success.
Every major FIFA match ball used on the global stage is manufactured in Sialkot.
This creates a unique contrast — a nation absent from the pitch, yet present in every match.
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