Nepal Football: National Football League Postponed Following Immigration Department’s Notice
Image source, ANFA
The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has suspended both the men’s and women’s national football leagues being held in Kathmandu after the Immigration Department sent a letter instructing not to allow foreign players on tourist visas without labor permits to participate in the competitions.
In a statement, ANFA said the leagues have been postponed due to technical reasons until further notice.
Among the 17 clubs in the men’s national league, Chitlang Football Club has informed that it has obtained labor permits for its foreign players.
Three matches were scheduled in the men’s league on Thursday. Two of these fixtures between Chitlang FC and Laligurans FC, and Tribhuvan Army Club and Satdobato Youth Club, had already taken place with foreign players participating.
However, the evening match between Machhindra Club and APF Club was halted.
In the women’s league, both matches scheduled for today were completed as planned.
Immigration Department’s Letter
Image source, ANFA
Previously, complaints were filed with the National Sports Council and the Immigration Department regarding foreign players participating without labor permits.
Following this, on Chaitra 1st, the National Sports Council issued a letter to ANFA requesting a list of foreign players who lacked labor permits.
In a letter written today from Tikhe Ram Dhakal, Director of the Immigration Department, to ANFA, he warned that monitoring has started immediately and any foreign player without a labor permit involved in any sport contrary to their visa purpose will face immediate action, prompting ANFA to step back.
When contacted, ANFA spokesperson Suresh Shah said the league was suspended due to technical reasons.
He also informed that ANFA has requested the National Sports Council to issue labor permits for foreign players in both leagues.
ANFA had corresponded with the Rugby Association of Kathmandu & Nepal (RAKEP) on Poush 28 and Falgun 28 for the women’s and men’s leagues respectively regarding this matter.
Challenging Labor Permit Process
Image source, ANFA
Ram Joshi, a member of Bhagwati Club participating in the national league, shared that despite repeated correspondence with RAKEP and the ministry, approval delays continue.
He said, “We have sent numerous letters, but approvals have not been received. With football matches halted, players have become unemployed. The club has invested millions of rupees to participate in the league. How can such a significant amount be recovered if the league is postponed? Who understands the hardships faced by the club?”
A senior ANFA official stated that foreign players are only permitted to play with government consent.
According to him, under the previous Youth and Sports Minister Bablu Gupta’s approval, along with RAKEP’s secretary and support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, efforts were underway to simplify the strict labor permit process into a unified system. However, foreign players with a three-month visa were allowed to play before this.
“Foreign players participated under this system during the Nepal Premier League (NPL), and no issues arose then,” he stated.
Club officials repeatedly emphasize the labor permit process is very difficult and acquiring permissions takes about one and a half months.
Member Ram Joshi of Bhagwati Club said, “It takes one and a half months to move files from one department to another, and the matches get completed within that period.”
Previous Strict Sanctions
In the past, during the 2059 B.S. Shahid Smarak A Division League, Three Star Club faced severe sanctions from ANFA for fielding a foreign player against Jawalakhel Club without a contract, resulting in overturning their match victory.
Consequently, Three Star was relegated in the rankings.
However, ANFA has not enforced such punishments this time.
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