The winner of Nepal’s A Division League qualifies for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) continental competition. This was the case for Church Boys United, who won the 2023 Martyrs’ Memorial A Division League and played against Bhutan’s Paro FC in the AFC Challenge League Preliminary Stage 1 in August last year.
No Representative for Nepal in AFC Club Competition for 2025/26 Season
However, for the 2025/26 season, Nepal will not have a representative in the AFC Club Competition. This is because the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) failed to host the A Division League on time. As a result, there will be no Nepali team competing in the AFC’s prestigious club competition this season.
ANFA’s Plan to Organize a New Tournament
To make use of the AFC slot given to Nepal, ANFA is planning to hold a new tournament. This tournament will be a mix of league and knockout stages, with A Division clubs competing. The winner will then represent Nepal in the AFC Club Competition.
ANFA has announced that the tournament will begin on May 3. They have also called for A Division clubs to register for the event.
Key Registration Details
According to ANFA, clubs must complete their registration and finalize the minimum number of players in their squads by May 23. This announcement was made following a meeting between ANFA and 14 A Division clubs at ANFA’s office in Satdobato, Lalitpur.
Clubs’ Concerns Over the New Tournament
While ANFA emphasizes that the tournament will give a Nepali club the chance to play in Asia’s largest club competition, many club owners are concerned. They argue that this tournament is a reaction to ANFA’s failure to organize the A Division League on time.
A spokesperson for ANFA, Suresh Shah, explained that the league cannot take place until the B Division League finishes. Two new teams need to be promoted before the A Division League can begin.
Doubts Over Tournament Structure
Shah also mentioned that further meetings would be held to discuss the tournament structure and other details. If the rules and structure are not well-defined, A Division clubs may not show interest in the knockout tournament.
Increased Pressure on Clubs
Reuben Rai, president of Church Boys United, criticized the situation, calling it a shame. He pointed out that the tournament puts extra pressure on the clubs, as they will now need to invest more in foreign players and face additional challenges with work permits and visas.
Concerns Over Relegated Teams Participating
Rai also expressed concerns about the participation of Khumaltar FC and APF Club, both of which were relegated from the top tier in 2023. He questioned what would happen if one of these teams, which are no longer in the A Division, won the tournament.
Ongoing Discussions and Next Steps
For now, Monday’s meeting was seen as just the beginning of the discussion. Rai stated that clubs would voice their concerns and reservations in future meetings. ANFA, on the other hand, has assured that more discussions will be held in the coming days to reach an agreement and organize the tournament successfully.
