Jun 25, Kathmandu - As the excitement of the FIFA World Cup 2026 unfolds worldwide, Nepali football finds itself in limbo with an indefinite suspension by FIFA.

The global football governing body, FIFA, announced that it has suspended the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) due to government interference. In a letter released on Wednesday, FIFA stated that Nepal has been suspended, and as a result, all funding and support from FIFA will be halted.

Nepal has been receiving over one billion Nepali Rupees annually in aid from FIFA for football development. With the suspension, Nepalese players are now barred from participating in international and youth football tournaments, and officials' foreign travel has also been restricted.

The suspension comes amidst ongoing disputes within ANFA, which saw its four-year term under President Pankajvikram Nembang end on Ashadh 5. However, Nembang's faction had announced an early election nearly five months ago, leading to controversy and conflict within Nepali football.

ANFA leadership's attempts to conduct early elections, despite directives from the National Sports Council (NSC) and the courts, resulted in NSC imposing a three-month ban on ANFA in Chaitra. Two months later, NSC lifted the suspension to facilitate elections, but as ANFA failed to organize the elections, NSC again suspended ANFA.

Currently, FIFA has imposed an indefinite suspension on ANFA. The suspension was preceded by investigations into financial irregularities, with both the Sports Council and the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) probing ANFA's finances.

In connection with the financial probe, the Immigration Department had also sent ANFA President Nembang and Secretary Kiran Rai to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026 opening ceremony in Mexico on Jestha 26. However, they were deported from Tribhuvan International Airport following the department's decision.