The 11-team League to be played under ‘home and away’ format was originally slated for October 31 kick off, Anfa informed on the eventful day when it president Ganesh Thapa and Treasurer Birat Krishna Shrestha stepped aside to ease the investigation on the alleged embezzlement of funds in the football governing body.

Departmental teams Nepal Police Club, Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club and Tribhuvan Army Club, three Kathmandu-based clubs A Division League champions Manang Marshyangdi,  Three Star and Sankata will rub their shoulders with five district teams—Kailali, Jhapa, Morang, Rupandehi and Makwanpur— in the Rs 22.5 million prize-money tournament.

“The eventual champions will be rewarded with Rs 10 million,” informed Thapa during a press meet. Anfa also decided to give away Rs 1.5 million each to the participating teams as preparation costs. Additionally the home team will earn an extra 20 percent of revenue collected through tickets sale.

Among the other major Anfa decisions were to increase salaries for both men’s and women’s national team members. Members of the men’s team will earn Rs 15,000 and the women’s team will get Rs 7,000. Previously the men’s team members used to get Rs 10,000 and the women’s team members Rs 5,000. The salary of the Fifa referees has also been raised to Rs 6,000 from Rs 4,000.

As part of the Fifa Goal Project, the Anfa will be providing Rs 300,000-Rs 500,000 each to the 10 hilly districts where maintenance of football grounds is initiated by the locals themselves.

The executive meeting also nominated Ganesh Bhattarai as the assistant general secretary. The Anfa general assembly called for October 31 has also been indefinitely postponed.