FIFA SUSPENDS NEPAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OVER GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE

Read Time:1 Minute, 53 Second

Agency Report

World football governing body, FIFA, has suspended the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) from all international football activities with immediate effect over what it described as undue interference by a third party.

The suspension, announced on Wednesday, bars Nepal from participating in international competitions and cuts the country’s football association off from FIFA development programmes, training courses and other support initiatives.

In a letter signed by FIFA Secretary General, Mattias Grafström, the world football body stated that ANFA was suspended due to “flagrant violations of the FIFA Statutes,” which require national football associations to operate independently of government control.

FIFA’s decision followed a dispute between ANFA and Nepal’s National Sports Council over the governance of football in the country.

The council had suspended ANFA for three months in March 2026 while the association was preparing for an electoral process previously agreed upon with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. Although the suspension was lifted in May, disagreements over the election process and proposed amendments to ANFA’s statutes persisted.

FIFA noted that the association’s elective congress had been repeatedly delayed due to directives issued by the National Sports Council under Nepal’s sports development laws.

Reacting to the development, ANFA spokesperson, Suresh Shah, described the suspension as a matter of serious concern and said consultations were ongoing with stakeholders to resolve the crisis.

“The suspension is an issue of grave concern; we are consulting with all stakeholders to lift the suspension, keeping Nepal’s football in priority,” Shah said.

He added that the sanction would negatively affect Nepali footballers by denying them international opportunities and limiting the development of emerging talents.

Nepal is currently ranked 175th in FIFA’s men’s world rankings, while the women’s national team occupies the 88th position globally.

FIFA stated that the suspension would only be lifted if the National Sports Council withdraws its March decisions and allows ANFA to complete its electoral process without external interference.

A member secretary of the National Sports Council, Ram Charitra Mehta, said the government was seeking alternative solutions to resolve the dispute and restore Nepal’s participation in international football.

The suspension remains in effect until FIFA is satisfied that the conditions for ANFA’s independence and governance have been fully restored.

AFP