The Himalayan team will face Iraq on May 29, before heading to Kuwait to play the WC qualifying matches, according to the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).

The team is also scheduled to play 2023 AFC Asian Cup second-round qualifiers in June.

Nepal is currently fourth in Group B of the World Cup qualifiers with three points from five games. Of the five matches, Nepal has won 1 match and lost 4.

Australia and Kuwait are in the top two positions with 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Nepali team is scheduled to square off against Chinese Taipei (June 3), Jordan (June 8), and Australia (June 11).

Recently, national team head coach Abdullah Almutairi announced a 23-member squad for the friendly match, WC qualifiers, and the Asian Cup qualifiers.

Nepal Football Squad:

Bishal Sunar, Kiran Chemjong, Rohit Chand, Deep Karki, Dinesh Rajbamshi, Ananta Tamang, Suman Aryal, Gautam Shrestha, Bishal Rai, Bikash Khawas, Arik Bista, Manish Dangi, Santosh Tamang, Kamal Thapa, Sunil Bal, Suman Lama, Pujan Uparkoti, Suraj Jyu Thakuri, Anjan Bista Nawayug Shrestha, Ayush Ghalan Avishek Rijal, and Ashish Lama.

The team will be back home on June 12.

Stay Tuned to NepaliSansar for Latest Nepal Sports News!

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The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has announced that a 20-member U-21 National Soccer team will represent Nepal at the Centenary North East Football Championship in India.

The football tournament will take place between February 20 – March 01, 2019.

This special squad will include Abhishek Rijal, Anil Maharjan, Asim Bhusal, Arik Bista, Bishnu Kumar, Bishwas Udas, Chiring Gurung, Dheeraj Shrestha, Mikchen Tamang, Minas Thapa, Projan Tamang, Rejin Subba, Rajib Lopchan and Shishir Lekhi Poudel.

However, none of them has been named for captaincy.

Main Coach Chet Narayan Shrestha, Assistant Coach Salyan Khadgi and Goalkeeper Coach Chhannuram Chaudhary will be guiding the team during this important tournament.

Nepal Clears Semis at Hero Women’s Football Gold Cup 2019

Nepal has entered the finals of the Hero Women’s Football Gold Cup!

The Nepal women’s team defeated India 2-0 at the Kalinga Stadium at the semi-finals on February 13, 2019.

Now Nepal will face Myanmar in the final who crushed the former 3-0 earlier in the series.

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Recently, the Himalayan nation also held the SAFF Men’s Championship between October-November, 2018

The 5^th SAFF Women’s Championship is rescheduled to take place in Biratnagar between March 12-22, 2019. Originally Sri Lanka was scheduled to hold the tournament.

All Nepal Football Association President Karma Tsering Sherpa requested that the tournament be held at Biratnagar in Shaheed Rangashala Stadium, even though Kathmandu was chosen as the first venue.

Since the SAFF Women’s Championship started in 2010, member countries Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka hosted the tournament with a gap of every two years.

Bangladesh will begin the tournament with a match against Pakistan on the first day, i.e., March 12, 2019.

It will then go on to play against Bhutan and Nepal on March 14 and 16, 2019, respectively.

The SAFF Women’s Championship Semi-Finals will be held on March 20, 2019 while the SAFF Women’s Championship Finals is scheduled on March 22, 2019.

The post Nepal Gears Up to Host Maiden SAFF Women’s Championship! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Rohit Chand helped his team Persija Jakarta record a smashing victory against team Mitra Kukar at 2-1 to become champion of the season.

With this victory, Persija won 18 matches, drew eight and lost eight out 34 matches. The team accumulated a total of 62 points in the championship.

The victory has secured the team’s position in the AFC Championship and AFC League Cup.

Nepal’s Chand was instrumental to Persija’s success with three goals in the 31 matches he played out of the total 34.

About Rohit Chand

Trained by All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), Chand began his career as a Mahindra Club member in the Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League in 2009.

At 19, he was awarded the Best Defender Award with striking performances throughout the league. He then went onto to join the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Sporting Club between 2010-2012.

After just two seasons with the club, he became famous throughout South Asia. Chand also played for Malaysia’s T-Team in 2016.

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While a group of 22 players play on a green field, it’s no more a team emotion, it’s become an entire stadium’s emotion and more like the whole world’s emotion.

When the FIFA world cup brings playing-countries together, it weaves the whole world together to watch a country’s fate unfold in a game of football.

And that’s why football is not a game, it is an emotion!

There’s not one country, state or city that Football has left untouched, not even little Nepal that sits cozily tucked amidst a mass of giant countries.

And if there’s anything that has Nepal’s youngsters’ adrenaline running, it is football! But of course after national game volleyball and cricket!

From national level players to state and district-level, Nepal’s frenzy for football sport has not gone unnoticed.

But the question remains, from where was this sport born?

A Walk Down Memory Lane— Football’s Evolution

There are many different theories on how and where the game evolved but the earliest record is found in China.

The origin of Football dates back to the Chinese Han and Qin dynasties as recognized by the International Federation of Football (FIFA). It was recognized by the name ‘cujju’ in the second and third centuries B.C.

Similarly, the Japanese also played a foot game called ‘kemari’ that started within the boundaries of the imperial court in 600 A.D

Ancient Greek and Rome also recorded the playing of many ball games that involved the usage of feet. The Roman game was called ‘harpastum’ and was adopted from a Greek team game ‘episkyros’ played between the third century.

But the modern game of ‘football’ only began in 1863 in England with the division of ‘rugby football’ and ‘association football’. This gave birth to the Football Association in England, forming the world’s first football governing body.

The game thrived in the British Isles between the 18^th and 19^th centuries in the form of various regional and local versions.

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) is the governing body for football in Nepal, founded in 1951. It is affiliated with FIFA since 1972 and is regulatory for national and club-level competitions in Nepal.

ANFA is headquartered at Satdobato, Lalitpur and led by ANFA President Karma Tsering Sherpa.

It works for the development of football in Nepal with two important approaches:

• Grassroot Development
• Education

With Grassroot football, ANFA aims to develop the quality of the game and interest among youth right from local and minute-level. All amateur and non-partial elite are initiatives of grassroot football.

ANFA’s grassroot program promotes the theme “Participation Based on Interest – Not Skill,” which believes that children should not be forced but allowed to choose football as a sport.

ANFA Education is the association’s step towards creating awareness among people about football culture worldwide and its impact on people’s life.

It creates this awareness through awareness programs, capacity buildups and different workshops. Additionally, it provides administration coaching and management education to encourage people to pursue a career and build interest in Nepali football.

Nepal Football Tournaments and Teams

ANFA’s efforts & Nepalis passion for football has helped the game grow leaps & bounds in Nepal.

Following are the 2018 tournaments and competitions Nepal participated in:

• Asia Olympic Qualifiers
• SAFF U15 Championship
• AFC U19 Group B Women’s Quarter Finals
• Asian Games 2018
• SAFF Suzuki Cup 2018

Nepal National Teams

Nepal has a team of dedicated players for every level of competition including:

• Nepal Men’s National Team
• Nepal Men’s Futsal Team
• Nepal U23
• Nepal U19
• Nepal U16
• Nepal U15

The Himalayan nation has dedicated women’s teams including:

• Nepal Women’s National Team
• Nepal Women’s Team
• Nepal U19 Women’s Team
• Nepal U16 Women’s Team

Nepal Football Promotion 2018 Initiatives

• On October 23, 2018, Nepal’s ANFA and the Qatar Football Association signed an agreement to promote the game in both countries, which involves both parties for collaboration, managerial cooperation and exchange programs for officials technical experts and others
• On October 19, 2018, renowned Spanish Football Club Atletico Madrid collaborated with Nepal’s West Kathmandu Football Club (WKFC) to develop football in Nepal. Atletico’s Manager Fernando Lopez signed a MoU with Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) President Bhawan Bhatia
• In July 2018, FIFA approved Nepal’s first women’s football academy at Chandranigahapur in Rautahat district. The proposed academy will be built across an area of six bighas at a cost of Rs 30 million and will host close to 100 players.

Nepal Football 2018 Achievements

Nepal’s recent performances proved its metal in football. Whether winner, not a winner, the Himalayan Nation managed to maintain its position among the top teams throughout 2018. Here are some of Nepal’s key achievements in football

• Earlier in January 2018, Nepal registered sounding victories against Bangladesh and Japan in the opening matches of the Sixth Asian Community Football Tournament organized by the Qatar Football Association (QFA). Nepal defeated Bangladesh and Japan 2-0, respectively at the Doha Stadium
• In March 2018, Nepal went on to defeat Sri Lanka in one of the matches against Sri Lanka at the Sixth Asian Non-Resident Football Tournament. Again Nepal beat Sri Lanka 2-0 to secure a position in the semifinals. Shiva Shrestha and Rakesh Saapkota sent home the team’s winning shots
• In April 2018, young footballer Bidit Man Tuladhar was selected for European Football Powerhouse Real Madrid’s Training Camp. Tuladhar emerged as the ‘best trainee’ during the training camp organized by Real Madrid Foundation coaches and UEFA ‘A’ license holders Daniel Landaburu Rotella and Rafael Palacios in June 2017.
• In May 2018, Nepal hosted the Gazprom Football for Friendship Program which witnessed the participation of 200 countries on the occasion of International Day of Football and Friendship. Nepal’s young player Girish Maskey and some others were selected to represent their country at the F4F international program with the other 211 young participants
• In September 2018, Nepal gave a remarkable performance for the ‘semifinal qualifier’ at the South Asian Football Federation. In the group stage finals, Nepal beat Bangladesh 2-0 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka. Bina Garthi Magar and Nawayug Shrestha 33^rd and 90^th-minute shots took the team to its victory.
• In October 2016, Nepal failed to win the trophy of the South Asian Football Federation U-18 Women’s Championship. But it sure did emerge as Runners-up at the prestigious event. Moreover, Nepal’s Rekha Paudel was conferred ‘Player with 7 Goals’ second highest after Bangladesh’s Masura Parwin
• Towards the end of October 2018, Nepal beat Maldives to enter the semi-finals in the SAFF U15 Men’s Championship. Nepal beat its opponent at a remarkable 4-0 score.

Jochen Figge leads Nepal to gold at the 1984 South Asian Games in Kathmandu

Nepal 1993 SAFF championship

Nepal 12th South Asian Games (SAG) Winner 2016

Under-23 Nepal Team Won Gold Medal 12th South Asian Games (SAG)With so many achievements and potential players, Nepal has a long and promising journey for Football in the country. We wish that Nepal wins the prestigious AFC U23 Championship 2020.

The post Nepal Football – A Meaningful Emotion, More than A Crazy Sport appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

In a bid to promote football in Qatar & Nepal and strengthen bilateral ties between both nations, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and Qatar Football Association (QFA) signed an agreement.

ANFA President Karma Tsering Sherpa and QFA President Hamad Bin Khalifa Bin Ahmed Al-Tani signed the deal on October 23, 2018 at Doha, Qatar.

“I am very pleased to be in Qatar for this agreement. I would like to thank H E Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, the QFA Vice President and the Secretary General for this warm welcome,” Sherpa said.

According to ANFA, the deal covers:

• Both Parties’ Support for Collaboration
• Managerial Cooperation
• Exchange Programs for Officials, Technical Experts, Coaches, Referees & Players

 
Following activities will be covered under exchange events:

• General Management and Management
• Marketing and Promotional Activity
• Study and Research
• Research on Football Matters
• Sports Science Related to Football
• Sports Medicine Related to Football
• Technical and Conditioning Coaching
• Game Development and Talented Player Development
• Football Management and Technical Direction
• Women’s Football
• Youth Football
• Futsal
• Referees
• Rules and Regulations

 
“The agreement will strengthen the cooperation in various fields related to football. We know the experience Qatar has in the field of developing the sport. Their training courses for players, officials, referees and coaches etc are hugely beneficial for the participants,” Sherpa added.

The ANFA President was in full praise of Qatar Football Association. He said there is no doubt why Qatar has become the leading sports center in Asia. Nepal is proud to be associated with a responsible body like QFA.

Qatar to Host 2022 FIFA World Cup
Qatar is already gearing up to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Sherpa found the preparations to be impressive. He visited the pavilion at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.

“It was a very wonderful tour and I found answers to many of the questions I had before my visit. The remarkable progress made by Qatar’s towards hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup is truly stunning. Qatar clearly has huge potential to bring the world football fans together for the big event,” he said.

Adding further, Sherpa says, “We have seen the models of the stadiums that are under construction right now. The venues and facilities are top-notch.”

Let’s see what Qatar has in store for us all at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

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According to a recent update, KMC and six city-based football clubs signed a MoU on September 11, 2018.

The six clubs include New Road Team (NRT), Himalayan Sherpa, Machhindra Youth Club, Sankata Club, Saraswati Youth Club and Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC).

KMC informed that the grant is in line with its policy to invest in sports and recognize clubs that contributed to the national sports.

The grant is not limited to these clubs under Kathmandu territory, but will also cover others in the Kathmandu District.

Five-year agreement signed in the MoU include:

• Utilization of funds only for sports purpose
• All the sports kit under this grant should bear the logo of KMC
• All the clubs should follow all the national legal procedures along with timely audits and renewals
• KMC should be informed about all the undertaken sports activities
• Breaching the deal will lead to termination of agreement at any point

KMC’s grant is line with efforts to boost the country’s most-favorite sports football, which is currently preparing for its first football league in September 2018.

ANFA officials told me that the ‘A’ division clubs could not survive just by fielding local players. So, we decided to provide them grant.  – Bidhya Sundar Shakya KMC Mayor 

The grant will definitely boost the development of Nepali football, which is going to have its first football league, stalled since last four years, from September 29. There will be crisis of players for the national team until there won’t be strong league in the country. In hope of producing as many players as possible, we have planned three structure of leagues: National, Martyrs Memorial and ANFA President’s League – Karma Tsering Sherpa, President, All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)

According to Sherpa, Nepal will have nine different national teams including age-group and women teams, starting from 2019.

Sherpa further informed that the Club Licensing provision brought by FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) would also formally start from the season.

Adding further, Shakya said this grant was just the beginning and may increase going forward. In this regard, the KMC Chief urged the clubs to target the league title for gaining more greater support in future.

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The program launched by Gazprom, the official partner of FIFA and FIFA World Cup 2018, intends to promote human values, friendship, equality and respect among young communities of the world.

“The sixth Gazprom Football for Friendship, being held in collaboration with FIFA, is an event that brings together children from 211 countries and regions. We are delighted to support the program and will be nominating two young students from Nepal to participate in the programme in Moscow in June,” said Sanjib Mishra, Deputy General Secretary of the All Nepal Football Association in an official release.

“We look forward to these young children becoming a part of the global movement of football for peace,” adds Mishra.

With regard to the project, an open draw was held in Moscow, wherein, 32 International Teams of Friendship and relevant player roles (midfielder, forward, defender and goalkeeper) were identified.

Of these, a young Nepali footballer has been selected for the forward role in the African Elephant team.

As part of this international championship, athletes from different countries, genders and physical abilities were grouped into one team, and each team will undergo training by young coaches, who comprise of footballers from different countries in the age group of 14-16yrs.

Post the championship, all the finalized young ambassadors will participate in the sixth International Football for Friendship Children’s Forum, wherein, they will discuss ways to take ahead the program’s key values.

Reflecting the protection of ecoology theme behind the program, each of the teams were named after the endangered animals across the globe.

For Human Principles

“The sixth season of the international children’s social program, Football for Friendship is officially open. This year, F4F is supported by 211 countries and regions. We live in an age where people all over the world seek to unite behind the principles of equality and respect for each other. The project is a crucial element in this process,” says Viktor Zubkov, Chairman of the Board of Directors at PJSC Gazprom.

Meanwhile, the FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura also said, “We are glad to support this unique initiative from the FIFA partner, Gazprom. The forum is a perfect example of how football can be used to open doors for girls and boys from all backgrounds, a mission that FIFA supports actively.”

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