The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has accused the participating clubs of not asking them about the announcement of a new date for the Martyrs' Memorial League 'A' Division. Machhindra Club President Anil Shrestha said that ANFA would continue to create an environment for the 'A' Division League, but now he claimed that the date of the competition was set only for show after players came and put pressure on them. 

Speaking to the media at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato on Tuesday, President Shrestha said, 'ANFA does not really have the spirit of having a league. The league is only being held to embarrass A-Division clubs.' 

Similarly, Friends Club President Biswas Bikram Shah also claimed that there was no discussion with the club about having an 'A' Division League earlier and said that the announcement was made under pressure. He said, 'If ANFA continues to lie, we will also come aggressively. We will happily play the league that will last for six months.' 

He added, ‘Even when ANFA makes the competition schedule, it does not call the clubs. The decision made today was unilateral. We have not been consulted at all.’ 

NRT President Sundar Narsingh Joshi said that there is confusion about the proposed ANFA election. He also said that he has not received any formal information about the election schedule. 

Former ANFA President Karmachhiring Sherpa also criticized the way the national league is currently being organized. He said, ‘3-4 games are being played in a day. The first of them is usually played at 10 am. Nepali football has not been decentralized yet. Our demand is that there should be a long-term and permanent A Division League schedule.’ 

Sherpa, who is also the president of the Himalayan Sherpa Club, also said that work has not been done as per the agreement with ANFA to provide the club with a home ground. Accusing ANFA of working against the rules, he said, "We had prepared the election schedule in coordination with FIFA and AFC. If we want to get a new mandate now, it will not be possible from the old voters."

Chairman Sherpa added, "If elections are held in the current situation, authoritarianism will prevail. Our demand should be a level-based election, this has also come from the directives of the National Sports Council. If this does not happen, Nepali football will be in trouble. Nepali football has already failed."

Agreement between ANFA and players

Earlier, ANFA and the Nepal Football Players Association had agreed to organize the inaugural match of the Martyrs' Memorial League 'A' Division on Chaitra 30. The players' association had padlocked the gate of the ANFA complex in Satdobato on Sunday alone, making various demands. The work of opening the padlock was done after the agreement. ANFA spokesperson Suresh Sah informed about the agreement at a press conference on Tuesday. 

Players Association President Vikram Lama claimed that after a long struggle, the ANFA leadership has become clear on the issue of organizing the ‘A’ Division League. According to him, ANFA had repeatedly said that it would organize the league, but the date had not been set. On that occasion, ANFA Competition Director Sanjiv Mishra said that the ‘A’ Division match schedule will be adjusted to the current national league schedule.

Accordingly, the national league will be concluded soon and one match of the A Division League will be held on Chaitra 30, and then the league will be regular from Baisakh 20, said Director Mishra. The last edition of the ‘A’ Division was held in 079 BS and even after more than a thousand days have passed since then, the next edition has not been organized. It has not been decided who will participate in the next ‘A’ Division League, APF or Three Star.