KATHMANDU: The controversy surrounding the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has intensified after its General Secretary Kiran Rai expressed strong dissatisfaction over being stopped from traveling to the FIFA World Cup.
Taking to social media, Rai accused the government led by Balen Shah of engaging in what he termed unwarranted third-party interference in Nepali football.
He claimed that despite repeated directives from FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), interference in ANFA’s internal affairs has not stopped. According to him, such actions undermine the autonomy of the country’s football governing body.
Rai further stated that FIFA regularly invites presidents and general secretaries from all 211 member nations to participate in the World Cup opening ceremony and a global football summit, which also includes discussions on budgets and football development programs. He added that FIFA itself bears the travel and participation expenses for such events.
The remarks come after ANFA officials were stopped from leaving the country by immigration authorities ahead of the FIFA-related event in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, triggering a wider debate over governance and autonomy in Nepali football.
