The ‘A’ division league, stalled for the last four years, is confirmed to have 16 teams and organised under the ‘home and away’ format. 

The decision was taken through an executive committee meeting of the Anfa on Thursday. The All Nepal Football Association (Anfa) had decided to organise the League from November 30. Anfa had earlier decided to include only 12 top tier outfits of the capital. But the football governing body’s executive committee amended the previous decision and allowed four district teams to play alongside Kathmandu-based clubs.

“The district teams are given the opportunity to expand football throughout the country and provide more exposure for district players,” said Anfa Chief Executive Indraman Tuladhar adding the district members proposed to include the four teams that played the National league in 2013/14 season. 

“We will hold a meeting with the clubs on Sunday and disclose further about the modalities of the league,” Tuladhar added. Morang, Lumbini FC, Jhapa XI and Far West XI were the district teams that competed against the likes of top tier clubs from Kathmandu. 

Three Star, Friends, Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club, Nepal Armed Police Force Club, Manang Marshyangdi, Machhindra, Sankata, Himalayan Sherpa, Saraswoti, Brigade Boys and Jawalakhel Youth are other ‘A’ Division clubs.

The meeting also decided to pay Three Star Club Rs 15 million which the club was supposed to get in compensation after an utter negligence from Anfa deprived them of playing in the AFC Cup playoffs. “The compensation amount will be released only after the executive committee’s decision gets approval from the Anfa extraordinary congress,” Tuladhar added. The congress is scheduled to be held on October 9 Despite repeated correspondence from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to register the team for the event, Anfa had failed to do so even after it was granted a deadline extension in November last year. 

Three Star had earned their way to the playoffs after finishing top of their group in the Qualifiers in Mongolia last year. Three Star had been demanding compensation and boycotted all football activities in protest unless they were paid. They had initially demanded a compensation of Rs 60 million. 

The meeting also decided to reward members of the Saff U-15 runners up team with Rs 25,000 each. Nepal had lost 2-1 to India in the final of the recently concluded regional tournament in Kathmandu.