The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) (Nepali: अखिल नेपाल फुटबल संघ (एन्फा)) is the governing body of football in Nepal. It is responsible for the men's and women's national teams as well as club competitions. The organisation was founded in 1951 as the All Nepal Football Association and became affiliated with FIFA in 1972. The current President of ANFA is Pankaj Bikram Nembang. Its current headquarters is located in the ANFA House in ANFA Complex, Satdobato.

History

Pre-ANFA (1921–1950) The entry and initial start-up of football came in Nepal during the Rana regime in 1921. The game was introduced in Nepal by the young players who had learnt this game from other countries. Games was watched by a huge mass of audience and became very famous at that time. However, it is believed that the pioneer of this game in Nepal was Narayan Narsingh Rana of Thamel and Chandrajung Thapa of Naxal.

There were some places, which were used as football ground for palace teams, such as Sujan Khanal, Mrigendra Shamsher Niwas Babarmahal, Mahabir Niwas Tangal Palace, Narshamsher Niwas Singha Durbar, Rudra Shamsher Niwas Bhahadur Bhavan, and Thamel Narsingh camp. Whereas in the 1930s, both local and palace teams commonly used the grounds of Singhdarbar, Chhauni, Gaucharan, Jawalakhel and Lainchaur for playing football. Despite political instability at that time football was played enthusiastically during 1921 to 1990 by various teams without goal posts, but the criterion was that the opponent team could follow the ball to the goal line.

FIFA Suspension FIFA suspended ANFA from 24 June 2026 until further notice. Therefore, all teams and clubs affiliated with ANFA are no longer entitled to take part in international competitions...

Development Football development in Nepal had only been possible when ANFA started working from root level. Keeping this in mind, ANFA has given its work priority for building fundamental material for the association. Firstly, ANFA has built a hostel in Satdobato, Lalitpur which has shown their dedication toward the development of football in Nepal by opening an ANFA office with a playground. This work of ANFA has been appreciated everywhere. Before starting a major project, the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) provided ANFA an opportunity to represent as a model in FIFA congress. ANFA has built technical centers (or football academies) in Chyasal of Lalitpur, Butwal, Rupandehi, Sunsari and Dharan under the roof of the FIFA Goal project. Similarly, ANFA has planned to open technical centers in the Mid-Western and Far-Western development regions of Nepal in the future.

National teams

Men Nepal national football team Nepal national football B team Nepal national under-23 football team Nepal national under-20 football team Nepal national under-17 football team Nepal national futsal team

Women Nepal women's national football team Nepal women's national under-23 football team Nepal women's national under-20 football team Nepal women's national under-17 football team Nepal women's national futsal team

Affiliated province football associations There are currently 7 province FAs and 48 district FAs affiliated with the All Nepal Football Association.

No. Association Province Teams President 1 Koshi Province Football Association Koshi Province Koshi Province (M, W) Kishor Rai2 Madhesh Province Football Association Madhesh Province Madhesh Province (M, W) Nepal Karki 3 Bagmati Province Football Association Bagmati Province Bagmati Province (M, W) Rajendra Kumar Shrestha 4 Gandaki Province Football Association Gandaki Province Gandaki Province (M, W) Dipendra Shrestha 5 Lumbini Province Football Association Lumbini Province Lumbini Province (M, W) Bhupendra Bikram Thapa 6 Karnali Province Football Association Karnali Province Karnali Province (M, W) Pramod Hamal 7 Sudurpashchim Province Football Association Sudurpashchim Province Sudurpashchim Province (M, W) Dinesh Kumar Shrestha

Competitions Martyr's Memorial A-Division League Martyr's Memorial B-Division League Martyr's Memorial C-Division League Nepal Super League National League 'A' Division National Futsal League ANFA President's League Province League District League ANFA U-18 Youth League ANFA U-16 Youth League ANFA Women's League Inter-School National Tournament ANFA Cup ANFA League Cup (formerly)

Current title holders CompetitionYearChampionsTitleNext editionSenior (men's)National Games2022APF F.C.National Games Champion2024A-Division League2023Church Boys UnitedA-Division Champion2025B-Division League2025Planning Boyz UnitedB-Division Champion2026C-Division League2024Bagmati Youth ClubC-Division Champion2025-26A-Division Futsal League2021Sports Castle PokharaA-Division Futsal Champion2024-25Nepal Super League (NSL)2025Lalitpur City F.C.NSL championSenior (women's)ANFA Women's League2024APF FCNational Women's Champion2025–26National Games2022APF FCNational Games Champion2024Youth (men's)ANFA U-18 League (Lalit Memorial)2024Nepal Police U18ANFA U18 Champion2025ANFA U-16 League2024–25 Church Boys United U16 ANFA U16 Champion2025ANFA U-14 Boy's Interschool Championship2025Youth (women's) ANFA Junior Girl's National Football Championship2025ANFA U-14 Girl's Interschool Championship2025

Executive committee MemberOfficePankaj Bikram NebmangPresidentBir Bahadur KhadkaSenior vice presidentDawa LamaVice presidentBirat Jung ShahiDipak KhatiwadaDirgha Bahadur K.C.Kiran RaiGeneral secretaryRabindra JoshiTreasurerBasanta AryalAssistant general secretaryArun Man JoshiAssistant general secretaryDamodar Badri BhattaraiAssistant general secretarySarala ShresthaMemberPema Dolma LamaManish JoshiAnil MallaRabindra ChandBikas Narayan ShresthaBhojraj ShahiMahendra KshetriPurushottam ThapaRamesh ByanjankarManiraj BistaTika Ram LamaRupesh AdhikariDipendra DhimalBharat Budha Thapa

Suspension by FIFA On 24 June 2026, the Bureau of the FIFA Council suspended the All Nepal Football Association with immediate effect due to flagrant violations of the FIFA Statutes linked to third-party interference, in accordance with Article 14 paragraphs 1(i) and 3 of the FIFA Statutes. The suspension followed a governance dispute involving Nepal's National Sports Council and remains in effect until FIFA determines that the conditions for lifting it have been met.

See also Football in Nepal Nepal national football team

References

External links

Nepal profile on FIFA (archived 14 July 2007) Nepal profile on AFC