Nepal football fails to make headway in 2024
Like almost every year,I take this opportunity to encapsulate,evaluate and highlight the lows and highs of the past year .
Overall,All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)governance,football development,national football teams performances and results left much to be desired.
Despite everything,on the domestic front, football’s popularity soared further in the country.There was a significant increase in the number of men,women, boys and girls playing the sport.
We witnessed a dramatic surge in football tournaments,catering to all levels,ages, and both male and female across all geographical regions from Mechi to Mahakali.It was largely possible due to the active involvement of the private sector.
Lack of sports culture,government’s failure to prioritize sports,limited corporate sponsorship,absence of adequate infrastructure and training facilities,sports administration politicalization and poor funding continue to impede sports sector development,be it football or cricket.
ANFA struggles with responsibilities
ANFA ,under the leadership of Mr. Pankaj Bikram Nembang failed to make noteworthy progress towards their goals and steer football in the right direction.
They could not carry out their promised sustainable development goals, capitalize on the rapidly growing popularity of football in the country and execute effective engagement with private stakeholders.
Everyone knows that they are directly responsible for developing and regulating football through effective organizational leadership,management and commitment.
ANFA might have been awarded the ‘Member Association of the year’( gold category) for maintaining the highest standards of good governance and hosting regional tournaments,but it has lagged far behind in genuinely fulfilling its responsibilities.
The truth of the matter is that they have not lived up to the expectations of advancing the development of the sport.
There are still major challenges,including inadequate infrastructure,poor training facilities,limited investment,the need for a productive domestic league, the sorry state of football clubs,the absence of a well structured youth development program and funding for grassroots development.
Speaking of the domestic league system,it is lacking in competitiveness,consistency and quality.
No end to National teams struggle
The men’s senior team's dismal performance was on full display throughout the year.
They competed in the 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers against the United Arab Emirates,Bahrain and Yemen in Group H.
They finished at the bottom of the group, losing five matches and drawing one. Against the technically and physically superior Middle East opponents they struggled and were outplayed.
They managed to garner a point against Yemen after playing a 2-2 draw in the away match.
Also they played a series of friendly matches against Malaysia, England C , Tajikistan and Afghanistan.They lost three and prevailed over Afghanistan.
The decline in the national team's performance underscores their persistent challenges.They continue to underperform,appearing a mediocre unit,struggling to get their act together.
The men’s Under-17 team competed in the Under-17 Asia Cup Qualifiers in Malaysia.They were in a relatively tough group consisting of Japan,Qatar and Magnolia and made an early exit losing all three matches.
In the Under-17 SAFF Championship held in Bhutan,Nepal lost to India in the semi final.
Upcoming striker Suhan Dangol displayed his scoring prowess, finding the net four times. He was the tournament’s highest goal scorer,earning him the golden boot award .
Likewise, the men’s Under-20 team was in action in the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers held in Chinese Taipei.
They got off to a promising start with a convincing win over Chinese Taipei 3-1. And thereafter,they fizzled out,conceding three straight matches to Bahrain 0-4, Cambodia 1-4 and Uzbekistan 0-4 to exit the competition.
Nepal hosted the Under-20 SAFF Championship,and the home team had a big opportunity to prove and redeem themselves.They did reach the final,setting up a clash against Bangladesh for the title.Disappointingly mediocrity and sloppiness attributed to their 1-4 downfall at the end.
Dasharath stadium was the venue for the AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers,Asia’s third tier club football competition.League champions Church Boys United took on Paro FC,Bhutan and lost 1-2.
For the second time Tribhuvan Army Football Club took part in the prestigious Durand Cup in Shillong, India with very little success.
The sad state of domestic football,administrative issues,and the exodus of players leaving the country have compounded the difficulties, making it very hard for the national team to regain its footing.
Stadium crisis
Dasharath stadium,the most historic venue in all of Nepal hogged headlines for the wrong reason for the umpteenth time.It was the venue for Nepal’s 2026 World Cup and 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers home matches.
Upon inspection,the Asian Football Confederation deemed the playing surface unplayable because of terrible pitch conditions,resulting in the venue change.
Home fans were denied the chance to watch the match live and rally around their team.Also it brought shame on the country.
Clearly, the situation reflects mismanagement and negligence of responsibility on the part of ANFA,National Sports Council, and the Sports Ministry.
For decades,they have virtually taken no measures to address and solve the ongoing stadium crisis.Constructing a new stadium exclusively for football is the most viable solution to the problem.
Nepal Super League
The eagerly awaited second edition of the Nepal Super League, the country’s premier franchise based club football league, was one of the sporting highlights of the year. As expected,it generated overwhelming enthusiasm and excitement in football goers.
Like the first edition,a good number of foreign players and upcoming local talents made their presence in the competition.In a thrilling drama-filled final, Lalitpur City FC came from behind to prevail over Dhangadhi FC 3-2 crowning themselves champions.
Another chance goes begging for Nepal to win women’s SAFF Championship
The women’s national football team of Nepal squandered a glorious opportunity to end their SAFF championship drought yet again,going down to defending champions Bangladesh in the final much to the dismay of home fans.
The tournament was hosted by Nepal for the second consecutive time.As a matter of fact, expectations for the team were sky high ,following their bounce back victory against India in the semi- final.However,they failed to put in a winning performance when it mattered most.
In the previous edition,they had faced a similar fate against the same opponent, falling short of the title.
The semi -final clash between Nepal and India was tense,chaotic and marred by controversies.The match was delayed for a considerable period of time as the home team,unhappy with the umpire’s decision to deny them the equalizer,refused to resume play .
Security lapses during the Nepal vs India clash and online ticket sales scandal exposed ANFA,the tournament organizer once again.
Women's National teams participation in regional and international tournaments
Nepal competed in the WAFF Women’s Championship held in Saudi Arabia.They outplayed Palestine, Syria and Iraq in the group stage and narrowly edged out Lebanon in the semi-final to reach the final.However, they lost to Jordan in the penalty shootout to finish runners-up.
Striker Sabitra Bhandari was the tournament’s top scorer with 9 goals.
Apart from the senior women’s national team,the Under-20, Under-19, Under-17, Under-16 and Under-15 teams competed in different regional and international tournaments.
The 2024 SAFF U-16 Women’s Championship was held in Nepal.The hosts finished behind winners Bangladesh and runners up India.
Similarly, the U-19 participated in the 2024 SAFF U-19 Women’s Championship in Bangladesh.They faced defeats at the hands of Bangladesh and India. They got the better of Bhutan to end the tournament in third place.
Women footballers in foreign leagues
A good number of footballers have played and are playing for different Indian clubs in the Indian Professional League.
Nepal’s biggest football star ace striker Sabitra Bhandari aka Samba move from Israeli club Hapoel Ra’anana to French team En Avant Guingamp that plays in the Division 1 Feminine,the highest professional women’s league in France was 2024 newsmaker of the year.
Likewise, striker Rekha Poudel who used to play in the Indian professional league signed a new contract with the United Arab Emirates leading outfit Abu Dhabi Country Club.
Skipper of the national team and custodian Anjila Tumbapo Subba was under the spotlight after she was signed by Greek A division club Nees Atromitu FC.
This is a testament to the growing number of women in the country who have embraced football as a career.
For the first time,the Armed Police Force Football Club represented the country in the Asian Football Confederation Women’s Champions League in Malaysia.
They played well to hold the local outfit Sabah to a goalless draw and failed to advance to the group stage, losing to PFC Nasaf from Uzbekistan by a solitary goal.
On the domestic front, kudos to ANFA for organizing the ongoing ANFA Women’s League Football Tournament,also known as National Women’s League .Initially it featured 10 teams consisting of municipality, province, departmental and club teams.
Koshi Province,Sudurpaschim Province and Karnali Province made it to the league through the qualification round .
The league got a boost from foreign players from India, Mauritius, Senegal, Ghana,Nigeria and Uganda who were recruited by some of the clubs.
As I write, APF FC, Nepal Army FC,Nepal Police FC and Waling Municipality have reached the Super League stage.
Undoubtedly,Nepal women’s football is on the rise despite challenges it faces, including limited support from the football body,lack of investment and resources.
When all is said and done,the sustainment of long term growth and development of women’s football is crucial and matters most.It is possible only if ANFA takes women’s football seriously and prioritizes.
Tragedy strikes
A tragedy of epic proportions struck when six ANFA Academy players were swept away by landslide in Indrasarobar, a rural municipality within the Makwanpur District. The untimely tragic death of the young footballers was heart -wrenching and a colossal loss to Nepal football.
Besides, the football community also mourned the death of former international player and national youth coach Gambhir Rai from Jhapa. He passed away while undergoing treatment at the age of 56.Likewise, forty one year old Rajan Panta, member of Lalitpur District Football Association departed for the heavenly abode. At 40, President of Makwanpur District Referee Association Akil Lal Shrestha breathed his last. Both died from sudden cardiac arrest.
No end to players going abroad
Given the uncertainty around Nepal football,the trend of national players seeking better opportunities and a secure financial future abroad continued.Should more players follow suit, it would come as no surprise.There is an urgent need for meaningful change to curb this exodus of players and retain talent within the country.
Bottom line
The bottom line is systemic flaws lie deep in the heart of Nepal football,severely impeding the growth of the sport in the country.Unless these issues are addressed and resolved,it will only deteriorate further.
Foremost, ANFA must get its priorities right,practice good governance,demonstrate a high degree of commitment and honesty to take football in the right direction.It is indispensable that they tackle the underlying causes of stagnation to ensure meaningful progress in football development.Otherwise,nothing changes.
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