Nepal Football: National League Suspended Following Letter from Immigration Department
Image source, ANFA
The Immigration Department issued a letter preventing foreign players on tourist visas without labor permits from participating in the men’s and women’s national football league competitions. Following this, the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has suspended both ongoing national leagues in Kathmandu.
ANFA released a statement indicating that the league suspension is due to technical reasons and will continue until further notice.
Among the 17 clubs participating in the men’s national league, Chitlang Football Club has reported that it has obtained labor permits for its foreign players.
Three matches were scheduled for Thursday in the men’s league. Of these, two matches—Chitlang FC vs Laligurans FC and Tribhuvan Army Club vs Satdobato Youth Club—were conducted, featuring foreign players in both games.
However, the match between Machhindranath Club and APF scheduled for the evening was halted.
In the women’s league, both matches scheduled for today were held as planned.
Letter from the Immigration Department
Image source, ANFA
Previously, complaints had been lodged with the National Sports Council and the Immigration Department regarding the use of foreign players without labor permits.
Subsequently, on Chaitra 1 (mid-March), the National Sports Council issued a letter to ANFA requesting a list of foreign players who had not obtained labor permits.
Today, Immigration Department Director Tikaram Dhakal sent a letter to ANFA stating that monitoring has begun and warning that any foreign player without a labor permit participating in any sport contrary to visa terms will face immediate action. This prompted ANFA to suspend matches.
When contacted, ANFA spokesperson Suresh Shah said the league was suspended due to technical reasons.
However, he mentioned that the National Sports Council has been requested to grant labor permits to foreign players involved in both leagues.
ANFA had corresponded with the Department of Foreign Employment on Poush 28, 2079 (early 2023) for the national league and on Falgun 28 for the ANFA Women’s League.
Challenges in Labor Permit Process
Image source, ANFA
Ram Joshi, a member of Bhagwati Club, competing in the national league, stated that despite repeated correspondence with the Department of Foreign Employment and the ministry for labor permits, delays have persisted.
He said, “We have sent multiple letters, but approvals have not been granted. The issue of players facing unemployment if football stops has come up. We invested millions of rupees to participate in the league. If the league stops, recovering that amount will be difficult. Who understands the club’s hardships?”
An ANFA official said that foreign players have been allowed to play in agreement with the government.
According to him, at that time, with the consent of the Minister of Youth and Sports Bablu Gupta, the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Employment, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while efforts were underway to move the complex labor permit process to a one-door system, foreign players with visas shorter than three months were permitted to play.
“Foreign players participated in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) under this arrangement, and there were no restrictions,” he added.
Club officials have repeatedly raised concerns as the labor permit process has become very complicated, often taking one and a half months to complete.
Ram Joshi of Bhagwati Club said, “It takes a lot of time to transfer files from one department to another, and by that time, matches can be over.”
Strict Enforcement in the Past
In 2022, during the Martyrs Memorial A Division League, Threestar Club fielded a foreign player without a labor permit in a match against Jawalakhel Club. As a result, ANFA took immediate action, overturning Threestar’s victory.
Consequently, Threestar was relegated.
However, this time ANFA has not taken such a measure.
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