FIFA Suspends Nepal, Third Party Intereference Cited

World’s football’s governing body, FIFA, has suspended the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) citing third party interference.

On Thursday morning, FIFA announced an indefinite suspension of ANFA.

With the suspension, FIFA stated that the grants Nepal had been receiving will be stopped.

Likewise, Nepal will not be allowed to participate in international football and youth football matches.

The suspension comes days after the conclusion of the four-year tenure of the ANFA executive committee led by Pankaj Bikram Nembang.

However, controversy in Nepali football surfaced five months earlier when Nembang attempted to hold early elections.

At a time when the four-year tenure of more than 30 member organizations had already expired, Nembang was preparing to conduct central elections without updating the member elections.

Following complaints from some ANFA members, National Sports Council (NSC) took action against ANFA.

After repeated defiance, the NSC suspended ANFA for three months last Chaitra. But before two months were completed, the NSC lifted the suspension.

Even after the suspension was lifted, the leadership was not ready to conduct elections. Ultimately, ANFA’s leadership tenure ended on June 15.

Meanwhile, FIFA has imposed an indefinite suspension on ANFA.