Kathmandu: Senior office bearers of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), including vice presidents and executive committee members, have sought intervention of international football governing bodies over the controversial early election of the ANFA executive committee scheduled for March 27.

Senior Vice President Bir Bahadur Khadka (currently under suspension by the ANFA establishment faction), Vice President Birat Jung Shah and executive committee members Rupesh Adhikari and Robin Chand Thakuri have formally written to FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), urging them to intervene and clarify their position regarding the election.

The ANFA leadership, headed by president Pankaj Bikram Nembang, has announced that the executive committee election will be held on March 27—almost three months before the current tenure ends on June 18.

However, the core of the controversy lies not in the early timing of the election but in the executive committee’s decision to grant voting rights to district committees elected four years ago without conducting fresh district elections.

A significant faction within the ANFA executive committee and other football stakeholders have raised serious concerns over this move.

The regular ANFA General Assembly held in Dhulikhel in March last year had decided that elections for the central executive committee for the 2026–2030 term would take place only after elections of member institutions were completed. Despite this, the ANFA Executive Committee, led by Nembang, decided on December 31 to hold the election nearly four months ahead of schedule while allowing the previously elected district committees to vote.

In the letter obtained by SportsNep, the four officials stated: “We write once again to draw your attention to the increasingly serious governance situation in Nepali football and to seek clarification on FIFA and AFC’s position.”

The letter addressed to FIFA’s Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov and AFC Deputy General Secretary Vahid Kardany questions whether the ANFA president is obliged to follow the decisions of the ANFA Congress.

“Our question remains: Is the ANFA President not required to follow the ANFA Congress’ decision, or is he allowed to act as he pleases? If FIFA believes that the ANFA President is not required to follow the decisions of the Executive Committee and Congress, then we must accept that our objections are futile,” the letter states.

“However, if the statutes and decisions of the Executive Committee and Congress still carry authority, we firmly request FIFA to instruct the ANFA President to comply strictly with the decision of the ANFA Congress.”

ANFA had initially planned to hold the election on February 11, but it was postponed due to the election code of conduct issued by the Election Commission of Nepal ahead of the national elections held on March 5. The ANFA leadership later issued a new notice fixing March 27 as the revised election date.

In their latest communication, the officials argued that the revised notice again ignores the Congress decision that district-level elections must be completed before the ANFA executive committee election.

“The absence of clarity on this matter, combined with the continued lack of football activity in the country, has led to growing frustration within the football community,” the letter states.

The officials also attached an English translation of a letter from the Nepal Football Club Association to ANFA, expressing dissatisfaction over the current situation in Nepali football. The letter, signed by 19 full ANFA members, says legitimate elections can only be held in line with the decision of the Dhulikhel Congress.

The four officials also referred to directives issued by the National Sports Council (NSC), Nepal’s apex sports body, which has advised ANFA to conduct central elections only after completing fresh district elections.

“We wish to emphasise that no one is opposing elections; rather, we are calling for elections that follow the process mandated by the ANFA Congress,” the letter states.

The officials further alleged that President Nembang’s attempt to retain his position could push Nepali football towards a possible sanction from FIFA.

“Therefore, we respectfully request urgent intervention from FIFA and AFC to compel ANFA to comply with the binding decision of its Congress, which mandates the completion of district elections before the ANFA Executive Committee election,” the letter adds.

They warned that if the process continues in its current form, any adverse consequences for Nepali football would rest solely with the ANFA leadership.