The win has raised the chances for Nepal to reach the semi-final stage. Nepal are in Group A, including Bangladesh. All seven active SAARC countries have participated in the tournament.

Simara Stadium hosted over 6,000 fans in the final match, highlighting the growing popularity of women’s football in the country—and the need for a quality ground outside Kathmandu.

The 16-member team is travelling to Sharjah for a three-match series, named ‘Unity Cup’ by the CAN.

The Group A fixture was the first match between the sides since the nuclear-armed neighbours engaged in a four-day military conflict in May this year.

Although SAFF regularly holds tournaments across age groups and genders, getting participation from all seven active SAARC nations has not been easy.

Insufficient investment, corruption and neglected infrastructure have forced athletes abroad and sidelined fans at home. Now, under the banner of reform, stakeholders demand that sports be part of the nation’s recovery.

Sports has been seen not only as entertainment but also as a symbol of peace, recovery, and unity in difficult times.

Some athletes argue the moment of reckoning should also come for those politicising the sports sector.

Jhapa FC defeats Rapti FC with a late goal on Monday to enter the Women’s League as the final and fifth team.

For Bangladeshi journalists who are in Kathmandu to cover football friendlies, Monday’s Gen Z protests remind of last year’s student-led revolt in their own country.

The athlete, who has never lost a powerlifting competition, raised the bar with a bench press world record at the Asian Powerlifting Championship last month. But for all his triumphs, he had to defeat his own demons first.

Nepal’s head coach Matt Ross keeps noting down about his players, a scene that recurred during the team’s 0-0 stalemate against Bangladesh on Saturday.

The five-member selection committee led by Anil Malla Thakuri, secretary at NSJF, revealed five nominees each in the four categories.

Nepal’s skipper Kiran Chemjong, in the pre-match conference on Friday, laments the inconsistency of the domestic league and the lack of a home ground. He also expects a memorable farewell to his friend and teammate Bharat Khawas.

The Albiceleste top the South American qualifying table for the 2026 World Cup in North America with 38 points

ANFA promises efficient crowd management, but supporters must still collect ticket slips and accept randomly assigned blocks.

Nepal are looking for their maiden berth in the Asian Cup, having failed to advance from all five editions of the qualifiers they have participated so far.

The 35-year-old left-armer retires as the nation’s most prolific fast bowler in the format, with 79 wickets from 65 T20Is, second on the all-time Australia list to spin bowling teammate Adam Zampa.

The decision comes at a time when the AFC has suspended Nepal’s ‘home of football’ from hosting AFC and FIFA tournaments, citing several safety concerns.

A women’s finals record of 3.4 million viewers tuned into ESPN to watch Gauff lift the 2023 US Open trophy, 1.1 million more than the audience that watched Novak Djokovic claim his 24th major title a day later, a reflection of how beloved she is.