Karachi United Football Club is a Pakistani professional football club based in Clifton, Karachi. Karachi United competed in the Karachi Football League, one of the top leagues of Karachi. It currently competes in the Pakistan Premier League, the first tier of the Pakistani football league system. Formed in 1996, the club turned professional in 2013. In October 2020, the club was promoted to the Pakistan Premier League for the first time, courtesy of a second-place finish in the 2020 PFF League. It therefore made its top-flight debut in the 2021 Pakistan Premier League. They were also members of the Karachi Football League, a semi-professional football league. Club has also competed in the 2016 PFF Cup, the highest football level in Pakistan that year. They reached the quarter-finals, in which they were defeated by PIA FC. Karachi United uses the 2,000-capacity Karachi United Stadium for most of their home games. The team is sponsored by Engro Corporation. History Formation and growth The club was formed in 1996 by Taha Alizai, Imran Ali and Ali Ata in Clifton, Karachi. It started its youth academy in 2001. This was followed by the launch of the Karachi Football League and the Schools Championship in 2003 and 2005, respectively. It initiated its youth summer camp in 2009, and the next year, it launched its community program as well as the women division. It acquired its own stadium in 2015. As of 2021, it has established 12 community centers in Karachi which cater to over 1,000 children, including 200 girls. In these centers, the club provides free football coaching to kids from underprivileged communities, providing them educational and health assistance. It also employs 10-12 full-time staff members which include a community administrator, a community program manager, a fundraising manager, a brand manager, an academy manager, a social media manager, and some coaches. There are 150 other part-time coaches. Some of the coaches are from the local communities while others are former national team players. Turning professional In 2013, Karachi United launched their professional team to compete in Pakistan's second tier of league football. They made their debut in the departmental phase of the 2013 PFF League. They ended first in their group and advanced to the final phase where they finished last. In 2014, the club participated in the departmental phase of the 2014 PFF League. They finished bottom of Group C, failing to win both