Nepal set to miss SAFF Men’s Championship for the first time
Summary
Nepal is on the verge of missing the SAFF Men’s Championship for the first time as its FIFA suspension remains unresolved ahead of SAFF’s September 30 deadline. The dispute between ANFA and the government has triggered arrests, a CIB probe and ongoing talks with FIFA and the AFC.
Key Points
- Nepal is likely to miss a SAFF tournament for the first time unless its FIFA suspension is lifted by Wednesday.
- SAFF had given Nepal a two-month window to resolve the suspension and join the 15th SAFF Men’s Championship in Dhaka.
- The CIB has arrested ANFA treasurer Rabindra Joshi and account officer Sanjiv Pandey and is probing financial issues related to jersey sales, World Cup tickets and a Nepal-Bahrain venue change.
- Government officials, ANFA representatives and football stakeholders are still in talks, but the standoff is worsening and could keep Nepal out of the tournament.
