Nepal Football League announced amid uncertainty over NSL’s future

A new domestic football competition, the Nepal Football League (NFL), has been announced amid growing uncertainty over the future of the Nepal Super League (NSL).

Nepal Football League Pvt Ltd announced on Friday that the inaugural edition of the NFL will begin on February 13, 2027, with plans to introduce a new model of club-led league management.

The announcement comes months after Nepal Sports and Event Management (NSEM), the organiser of the NSL, unveiled plans for the fourth edition of the franchise-based competition. The tournament was initially scheduled to begin on September 5, but has yet to take place, with no revised date announced.

The development has raised questions about the future of the NSL, particularly as representatives of seven clubs preparing to participate in the previous league attended the announcement of the new competition.

Clubs turn to a new league as NSL remains in limbo

NSEM announced the fourth edition of the NSL on May 17, promising a new competition format featuring a home-and-away double round-robin system.

The announcement was made in the presence of Education and Sports Minister Sasmit Pokharel, who expressed the government’s support for the tournament and said the competition could take Nepali football to new heights.

However, preparations failed to progress as expected. While FIFA’s suspension of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) on June 25 disrupted football activities across the country, disagreements between the NSL organiser and franchise clubs had also emerged.

The dispute reportedly centred on a proposed revenue-sharing model. Although the organiser and clubs had discussed introducing a new arrangement for sharing revenue, they failed to reach an agreement on the respective percentages.

The disagreement appears to have widened the gap between the parties, ultimately paving the way for the launch of the NFL.

NSEM operates under the Chaudhary Group, with Ashrayata Karki Chaudhary serving as its chairperson.

Familiar faces behind the new competition

Several individuals associated with the NSL are now involved in establishing the NFL.

Kalyan Gurung, head of Lalitpur City FC, the reigning champion of the last two NSL editions, has been appointed as the NFL’s tournament director. Raju Ghising, who previously served as the NSL’s managing director, has taken up the role of commissioner in the new league.

Representatives of other clubs have also confirmed their involvement as owners in the NFL.

Despite the overlap in personnel, the organisers say the new competition will operate under a different structure.

Asked why the NSL had failed to proceed as announced, Ghising said the new league was intended to move domestic football forward rather than revisit past disagreements.

“We do not want to dwell on the past. We have introduced the NFL to move forward with a new approach, a new system and a new structure,” he said.

Ghising also maintained that the competition would proceed regardless of whether FIFA lifts its suspension of ANFA.

“This is more about domestic football than international football. The league will go ahead whether ANFA’s suspension is lifted or not,” he said.

Clubs prioritise NFL over NSL

The clubs involved in the new competition say they turned to an alternative after efforts to reach an agreement with the NSL organiser failed.

Arpan Khadka, head of Jhapa FC, said the move was not intended to boycott any party but was a response to unsuccessful attempts to resolve the differences.

“We are not trying to move forward by boycotting anyone. We made every effort, but when that did not work, we decided to move ahead,” Khadka said.

Asked whether the club would still participate in the NSL, he said its priority had shifted to the new competition.

“We cannot put one foot in two boats. Since we are owners of the NFL, our priority is the NFL,” he said.

The position suggests that the NSL could face further challenges in securing participation from clubs that had previously been preparing for its fourth edition.

Clubs to become shareholders in NFL

According to tournament director Gurung, the NFL will be a privately operated competition in which participating clubs will also serve as shareholders.

The organisers are planning a home-and-away format, with the league expected to run for up to four months. However, details regarding the competition structure, management arrangements and operational framework have not yet been made public.

The NFL’s model also raises questions about the potential conflict of interest involved when clubs participate in a competition they collectively own and organise.

NFL chairman Gurung, however, said an independent committee would be established to ensure fair competition.

In a statement issued at the announcement, Gurung said the clubs had come together to give domestic football a new direction.

“The NFL is a common institution of the clubs. It will organise the competition, while the clubs will participate as members of the league. A separate independent committee will be formed to ensure the competition is conducted fairly,” the statement said.

Domestic football faces another uncertain chapter

The launch of the NFL comes at a difficult time for Nepali football, with FIFA’s suspension of ANFA affecting regular football activities and creating uncertainty around domestic and international competitions.

The NFL organisers argue that a privately led competition could help keep clubs and players active while the country’s football administration remains suspended.

However, questions remain over how the new league will operate in practice, what its relationship with ANFA will be and whether the clubs’ departure from the NSL will permanently alter the country’s franchise football landscape.

With the fourth edition of the NSL still without a confirmed start date and several clubs now backing a rival competition, the NFL’s announcement has added a new dimension to the uncertainty surrounding domestic football in Nepal.

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