National League Kicks Off Under the Shadow of ANFA Controversy

Kathmandu — The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) is struggling through one of the weakest periods in its history, with internal disputes and legal challenges overshadowing the start of the National League. ANFA had announced plans for an “early election” before the end of its full term, but the Patan High Court has issued an interim order blocking the move, putting the organization in a state of uncertainty between factions wanting to hold elections and those opposed to them.

Amid this controversy and a long delay in domestic competitions, ANFA has been criticized for failing to organize regular league football. However, after a long gap, players are finally getting a chance to take the field on Wednesday — though many appear subdued by administrative confusion and pressure rather than fully enthusiastic.

The 17-team National League, featuring 13 clubs from the A Division and 4 from the President League, begins today with an opening match between Kakre Bihar Youth Club and Friends Club at the ANFA Complex. This marks the third edition of the National League and comes after the traditional Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League could not be held for over two years.

Even before kickoff, the competition has drawn criticism: most clubs say they lacked adequate preparation, some having trained for less than a week, and several are still finalizing squads. Aside from three departmental teams, many clubs appear to be participating simply for the sake of being involved, raising questions about the league’s competitiveness and credibility before a single match has been played.

Despite these organizational challenges and the backdrop of ANFA’s leadership disputes, at least players now have an opportunity to compete, and there is hope that visible enthusiasm on the field will help raise the level of competition.