FIFA has suspended the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) until further notice due to third party interference. The decision means Nepal’s national teams and clubs will be cut off from access to international soccer, FIFA and Asian Football Confederation programs.
The indefinite ban comes after Nepal’s governing body was accused of third-party interference. ANFA had previously been suspended by the National Sports Council of Nepal. According to the Kathmandu Post, the Sports Council has refused to recognize the ANFA elections and the current ANFA executive committee, headed by chairman Pankaj Bikram Nembang, has already reached the end of his term.
“We hereby inform you that as a result of the decision taken by the Council Secretariat on 24 June 2026, ANFA has been suspended until further notice in accordance with Article 16 of the FIFA Statutes,” FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafström said in a circular to member associations.
“As a result, from 24 June 2026, ANFA will lose all membership rights as defined in Article 13 of the FIFA Statute until further notice. ANFA representatives and club teams will therefore have no right to participate in international competitions until the suspension is lifted.”
“This also means that neither ANFA nor any of its members or associates will be able to benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA or AFC.Furthermore, we caution you and your associates not to have any sporting contact with ANFA or its teams during the suspension of ANFA activities.”
“Finally, the Council Secretariat or the FIFA Council may lift this suspension at any time before the next FIFA General Assembly is held. If this is the case, we will notify you accordingly,” the statement concludes.
Nepal is not the first team to receive a suspension in recent years. Congo and Pakistan were both expelled before regaining their place in FIFA’s good books.
Like Nepal, Congo was also suspended for third-party interference in the Congolese Football Association. FIFA considered the bodies not functioning independently.
The suspension of the International Federation’s activities was lifted in May 2025 when FIFA was satisfied that the federation was in charge of its own affairs and its headquarters had been restored.
The Pakistan Football Federation was judged to have failed to adopt a constitution that guaranteed fair and democratic elections. Their punishment ended in March 2025 after FIFA and AFC approved the terms and conditions approved by the PFF Congress.
