[1] The possibility of unlikely victories in the earlier rounds of the competition, where lower ranked teams beat higher placed opposition in what is known as a "giant killing", is much anticipated by the public.

Such upsets are considered an integral part of the tradition and prestige of the competition, and the attention gained by giant-killing teams can be as great as that for winners of the cup.

In 2009, non-league side Sindh Government Press defeated top-flight National Bank 3–2 in group stages.

[2] In 2011, second-division club Ashraf Sugar Mills defeated Pakistan Premier League winners WAPDA F.C.

At the 2023–24 PFF National Challenge Cup, Higher Education Commission, an ad-hoc team of players from different universities and colleges around Pakistan defeated Khan Research Laboratories at the quarterfinals by 1–0 at the stoppage time.