FIFA Suspends All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has officially announced the suspension of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) through its website.
According to FIFA Statutes, Article 14, Sub-articles 1(i) and 3, the FIFA Council Bureau decided to immediately suspend ANFA due to serious violations involving third-party interference.
Despite repeated warnings regarding ongoing issues within ANFA in the past, this marks the first time the federation has been suspended.
Internal disputes among ANFA officials escalated particularly following the “quick election” process.
On March 24, the National Sports Council (NSC) suspended the federation for three months, accusing ANFA of violating tripartite regulations.
Although the NSC suspension was later revoked, ANFA officials remained blacklisted by the Immigration Department.
When ANFA President Pankaj Bikram Nembang and General Secretary Kiran Rai attempted to travel to Mexico to attend the opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Immigration Department denied them entry, an incident FIFA has taken very seriously.
ANFA has warned that intervention by the NSC can be interpreted as third-party interference, which could lead to Nepal’s suspension.
Discussions took place between the NSC and FIFA to resolve their disputes, and the NSC even invited FIFA representatives to negotiate in Nepal.
However, the incident in which the ANFA President and General Secretary were sent back from the airport is seen by FIFA as a clear example of third-party interference.
The four-year term of the ANFA leadership ended on June 20, 2023.
The suspension of ANFA will have a significant impact on football in Nepal.
Nepal’s national men’s, women’s, and age-group teams will no longer be allowed to participate in any competitions recognized by FIFA or the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Similarly, club teams will be banned from AFC Champions League and other tournaments, and the licenses of referees and coaches may also be suspended.
Financial support from FIFA is also expected to be halted due to this suspension.
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