World football governing body, FIFA, has suspended Nepal’s football association, preventing the country from taking part in all international football competitions, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Nepal currently occupies the 175th position in FIFA’s men’s world rankings, while the national women’s team is ranked 88th globally.
In a letter addressed to the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), FIFA stated that the suspension stemmed from “undue interference by a third party.” The governing body pointed to ongoing disagreements between ANFA and Nepal’s National Sports Council regarding the administration and governance of football in the country.
FIFA regulations require national football associations to function independently without interference from government institutions.
According to a letter issued by FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom and shared by ANFA on Facebook, the decision was taken on Wednesday. He stated that FIFA had decided “to suspend ANFA with immediate effect due to flagrant violations of the FIFA Statutes.”
The dispute follows action taken by the National Sports Council in March 2026, when it suspended ANFA for three months while the association was preparing to conduct elections that had been endorsed by both FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation. That suspension was later withdrawn in May.
The electoral congress required to complete the process has faced repeated delays. During that period, the Sports Council issued several directives, including instructions to amend ANFA’s statutes in line with Nepal’s Sports Development Act.
Reacting to FIFA’s decision, ANFA spokesman Suresh Shah described the situation as serious.
“The suspension is an issue of grave concern; we are consulting with all stakeholders to lift the suspension, keeping Nepal’s football in priority,” Shah told AFP.
The suspension effectively excludes Nepal from all international football events and also cuts off access to FIFA-funded development programmes, training opportunities and educational courses.
“It impacts our players, barring them from opportunities and dampens dreams of aspiring players,” Shah added.
FIFA indicated that the suspension could be revoked if the National Sports Council withdraws the decisions it made in March and permits ANFA to complete its electoral process without interference.
Meanwhile, Ram Charitra Mehta, member secretary of the National Sports Council, said efforts were underway to resolve the issue.
“The government never wanted this… we are looking for alternative ways to address this crisis,” said Mehta.
