Nepal Football Association faces FIFA suspension threat

Nepal women’s team withdrew from FIFA Women’s Series in Thailand.

Nepali Football is staring at one of the gravest crises in recent history after a fight broke out between the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and the National Sports Council (NSC).

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, the ANFA, led by President Pankaj Bikram Nembang, urged that early elections would lead to stability in the long run. But the NSC felt this was a violation of the country’s Nepal’s National Sports Development Act and took drastic action.

The NSC went on to suspend all ANFA-related activities, suspend their executive committee for three months, and halt the election process. This decision has had a massive impact on Nepal Football and frozen football operations in the country.

In this article, we find out the implications of this move and how and why a ban from FIFA and AFC may be incoming for Nepal Football.

FIFA and AFC gave an ultimatum to Nepal Football

The ANFA is a recognised official body under FIFA and AFC statutes, and as per FIFA guidelines, it must remain independent and autonomous from government decisions and external interferences. The ANFA also claimed that preponing elections was legal under their own constitution.

On the other hand, the NSC enforced the National Sports Law, and it also accused ANFA of ignoring directives and bypassing legal procedures. However, FIFA has made its stance clear: any third-party interference is unacceptable.

A few days ago, FIFA and AFC released a joint statement where they demanded the immediate withdrawal of the NSC’s suspension and resumption of the ANFA Election Process. They gave a deadline of seven days and failure to comply would lead to immediate suspension of ANFA and isolation from international football.

Nepal football has come to halt

This fallout between ANFA and NSC has resulted in football coming to a halt in the country. The National League and Women’s League have been postponed, and youth competitions have also been cancelled mid-season. Moreover, clubs also left without fixtures or revenue.

The crisis has hit Nepal Football badly as it led to Nepal’s withdrawal from the FIFA Women’s Series 2026. The tournament was scheduled to take place in Thailand, and they were set to lock horns with Thailand, DR Congo and New Caledonia, but after Nepal pulled out, Indonesia replaced them.

What is even worse is that the international friendly game between Nepal and Hong Kong that was scheduled for March 26 at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu was cancelled due to a lack of approval for venue and stadium facilities from the National Sports Council.

As the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and SAFF Championships are inching closer, it will be important that both parties settle their internal dispute to keep the football rolling in Nepal.

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