FIFA and AFC threaten Nepal football suspension over election interference

FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation have warned the All Nepal Football Association that it faces possible suspension if it cannot restart and complete its electoral process after a government body ordered a halt days before the vote.The warning centres on a March 25 directive from Nepal’s National Sports Council, which said ANFA was suspended for three months and instructed the federation to stop its elective congress and amend its statutes.ANFA had been due to hold its Elective Congress on March 27, but postponed the vote following the directive, which FIFA and the AFC described as undue third-party interference in a member association’s affairs.FIFA and the AFC said in their joint letter: “The decision of NSC clearly prevents ANFA from managing its affair independently and constitutes a clear case of undue third-party interference.”The two bodies told ANFA they expect written confirmation within seven days that the suspension has been withdrawn or annulled and that the electoral process has resumed from the point it was stopped.They warned that failure to meet the deadline would see the matter submitted to the FIFA Council, opening the way for an immediate suspension of ANFA.A FIFA suspension would have direct commercial consequences, including the loss of membership rights and restrictions on Nepal’s participation in international competitions across men’s and women’s football.The letter also warned that a suspension would freeze access to FIFA and AFC development funds and financial assistance, creating a funding shock for programmes tied to infrastructure, grassroots initiatives and federation operations.It would also prevent other FIFA member associations from maintaining football relations with ANFA during the suspension period, affecting friendlies, technical exchanges and other cross-border activity.The dispute adds governance risk at a time when ANFA is approaching a leadership transition, with its current executive committee’s term due to end in June 2026.ANFA had planned to run elections earlier in 2026 with FIFA and AFC approval, but the National Sports Council pushed back, linking endorsement to statute changes and sequencing across district associations.FIFA said statute amendments were not a prerequisite for district and provincial elections, reinforcing its view that the directive and suspension amount to interference that breaches FIFA rules on member association independence.Any escalation to a suspension would also raise uncertainty for sponsors, partners and broadcasters around national team and club participation, alongside reputational damage that can outlast the formal sanction.