Fake football team busted in Japan as part of human trafficking ring

By Hoang An &nbspSeptember 20, 2025 | 06:00 pm PT

A group of 22 men posing as football players was intercepted and deported from Japan after authorities discovered that all their documents were fake.

A group set up as a football team attemped to traffic people to Japan but were busted. Illustration photo by Pexels

A group of men in football costume. Illustration photo by Pexels

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) revealed on Sept. 16 that the group departed from Sialkot Airport, pretending to be members of a local football club. Upon their arrival in Japan, officials quickly identified the falsified papers and sent the group back.

According to Times Now News, the gang’s mastermind was Malik Waqas, a professional human trafficker. Waqas created a fictional club called Golden Football Trial and charged each participant roughly US$14,000 to facilitate their travel abroad. In return, he provided them with counterfeit documents, including Pakistan Football Federation player registrations and Ministry of Foreign Affairs certifications.

A spokesperson for Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency revealed that this group were even trained to appear like professional footballers, complete with full uniforms and scripted interview responses, as reported by Geo TV. Despite these efforts, Japanese authorities quickly found out that the documents were fake and uncovered the fraud.

Waqas has been arrested and admitted during interrogation that he previously used a similar scheme to smuggle 17 people to Japan in January 2024. The FIA is expanding its investigation to determine the full extent of the trafficking network.

Experts note that Japan’s high wages and standard of living, with a GDP per capita of $32,476 compared with Pakistan’s $1,485, according to World Bank, drive many to seek illegal routes for work opportunities.

The scandal comes at a sensitive time for Pakistan, coinciding with public criticism after the national cricket team’s controversial loss to India in the Cricket Asia Cup on Sept. 14 in Dubai, where players from both sides refrained from shaking hands before and after the match.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) condemned the behavior as against sportsmanship and lodged a protest with the International Cricket Council. India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the victory to victims of a recent attack in Pahalgam.