Both NSC and ANFA can say their arguments are correct. However, that does not provide a solution for Nepali football. If this continues, it will further damage football. It will immediately affect the ongoing competitions and Nepal's international participation.
We use Google Cloud Translation Services. Google requires we provide the following disclaimer relating to use of this service:
This service may contain translations powered by Google. Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, expressed or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and noninfringement.
Nepali football, which has been mired in political issues more than sports, has now become a mess. The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) was suspended by the National Sports Council (NSC) on March 11 after the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) tried to hold elections on its own.
A faction of ANFA had scheduled an 'early election' for March 13, and the NSC had instructed it to postpone it. It had also asked for an explanation. But after the ANFA leadership continued to move in its own direction, the NSC suspended it for three months. This has created confusion, and Nepali football has now reached a state of zero.
This is certain to cause immediate and long-term damage to Nepali football. Therefore, it is imperative for the NSC and ANFA to take a prudent path to find a way out of the current confusion. For that, they should proceed from the options provided by the country's laws and the statutes of FIFA, the highest football body.
One faction of ANFA was preparing to go directly to the central elections without holding district and provincial elections. ANFA's statutes stipulate that no one can serve more than two terms in a position. However, since there were no elections at the grassroots level, those who had served more than two terms as district presidents were participating in the 'early election'. This was not accepted by the NSC and a group of ANFA.
If the current situation continues, football culture may disappear from Nepal. If there is no game on the field but the conflict between NSC and ANFA continues, professionalism in football will weaken and there will be no normal game. This will not attract and retain new players in football. Meanwhile, despite NSC's repeated correspondence, ANFA was trying to forcefully hold elections by delaying. Finally, NSC suspended it. By not implementing the written instructions given by NSC repeatedly, ANFA showed its intention to undermine the principle of the primacy of national law by calling the matter of following FIFA rules binding and mandatory. After the suspension, ANFA postponed the election and converted the general assembly into a gathering.
Both NAF and ANFA can say their arguments are correct. However, it will not give Nepali football a way out. If it is prolonged, it will further damage football. The current ongoing competition and Nepal's international participation will be affected immediately. There is no question of the participation of the men's U-20 team in the SAFF Championship in Male, Maldives.
However, fearing government interference, the Nepali national team is secretly leaving for Laos on Saturday to play the final match of the third round of the Asian qualifiers via the Indian border. The Nepali women's national team will be most affected. The issue of the women's team's participation in the FIFA series and the Women's SAFF Championship to be held in India will be uncertain. The current national league and the women's Martyrs' Memorial League will also remain in limbo.
In terms of the long-term impact, if the current situation continues, football culture may disappear from Nepal. If there is no game on the field and the conflict between NAF and ANFA continues, not only will professionalism in football weaken, but there will also be no normal game. This will not attract and retain new players in football. It also facilitates the exodus of players who are currently playing. Clubs that are spending a lot of money on operations are also discouraged. Ultimately, neither the game nor the players remain. Only the sports of the sports organization remain. And FIFA can suspend Nepal from its membership.
We have a strange tendency - whoever reaches the leadership of ANFA finds FIFA's statutes and practices to be right. Whoever is in opposition finds ANFA's regulations and the laws of the country to be right. If such a situation arises, confusion will increase further. There will be obstacles to the development of football. The FIFA ranking also shows the declining state of Nepali football. In 2018, the FIFA ranking of Nepali men's football was 165th. In 2025, it has fallen to 182nd place. It is not certain where the suspension will take us.
We have a strange tendency - whoever reaches the leadership of ANFA finds FIFA's statutes and practices to be right. Whoever is in opposition finds ANFA's regulations and the laws of the country to be right. However, coordination between these two organizations and cooperation with FIFA are essential for the development of football. The suspension imposed by the NSC and the inaction of ANFA will not lead to any solution.
Therefore, the suspension must be ended first. Then, ANFA must address the issues that the NSC has shown interest in, raised awareness about, and sought clarification on. That is, it must move forward towards holding elections at the central level. ANFA must also follow the statutes of FIFA. Mainly, it must be aware of the impact its activities will have on Nepali football. This is more a question of the future of Nepali football than the victory or defeat of the NSC and ANFA. Everyone has the responsibility to make Nepali football successful.
