Nepal U-15 Team Set to Participate in FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival in Azerbaijan
The FIFA Council meeting on June 25 confirmed that the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival will be held in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 32. Nepal’s U-15 football team is set to participate in this event. Despite the suspension of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), Nepal will be allowed to compete as this tournament is a youth festival, a statement from ANFA spokesperson Suresh Shah confirmed. Player selection trials at district, provincial, and national levels are scheduled to begin from August 16.
Kathmandu – Nepal’s age-group football team has started preparations to take part in the FIFA U-15 World Cup and Festival set to be hosted in Azerbaijan. The FIFA Council’s June 25 decision confirmed the tournament dates as October 22 to 32. FIFA invited all 211 member nations, ensuring that Nepal will also be able to participate, said ANFA spokesperson Suresh Shah.
ANFA is currently suspended by FIFA; however, Shah explained that since this event is a youth festival rather than a main competition, Nepal would still be permitted to compete. “Our name was already registered for the U-15 World Cup and Festival before the suspension. All FIFA member nations worldwide can participate in this event. There will be selection tournaments as well, which is why Nepal has been allowed to play,” he added.
This will be FIFA’s first-ever U-15 World Cup and Festival dedicated to youth talent. Incidentally, ANFA was suspended by FIFA on the day this tournament was announced. Shah highlighted that player selection will take place from district to national levels. District-level selections will occur from August 16 to 25, provincial level from August 28 to 31, and national level from September 3 to 6. The preliminary squad list must be submitted by September 10, and the final list by October 7. A virtual meeting was held today regarding this, following which ANFA will commence the player selection process, he informed.
Although ANFA remains suspended by FIFA, resulting in the halt of all Nepal’s international football activities, and football operations within the country being at a standstill, the U-15 World Cup and Festival presents a key opportunity for Nepal’s youth football development.