Nepal look all but certain to lose their first two home matches of the FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification as the Dashrath Stadium will not be ready on time.

Kuwait and Taiwan are scheduled to visit Nepal on September 5 and 10 respectively for their away matches at the Dasharath Stadium — the only eligible international standard stadium for the tournament. But on Saturday, newly-elected National Sports Council Member Secretary Ramesh Silwal revealed the facility will only be handed over for use on October 10.

The Dashrath Stadium is currently undergoing reconstruction for the impending 13th South Asian Games (SAG) scheduled for December 1 to 10. The Stadium has not been used for any competitive sporting activity after it was badly damaged by April 25, 2015 earthquake.

“The Chinese contractors are undergoing maintenance of the Stadium and we have agreed not to enter there until October 10. That is the deadline for them to finish the reconstruction works,” said Silwal at an interaction program organised by Nepal Sports Journalists Forum. Nepal government had requested China to take over the reconstruction of the Stadium after earthquake.

“I have already discussed the issue with the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) and asked the president of the football governing body to write to the concerned requesting them to let us exchange the dates of home and away games,” informed Silwal.

According to ANFA spokesperson Kiran Rai, the football governing body has already written to the concerned authority and they were positive. “We have already written to the football federations of Kuwait and Taiwan and they have responded positively. But before making the final decision, we also need to get approval from FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The decision will be made by Wednesday. We are hopeful of a positive response,” said Rai.

If the request is not approved by FIFA and AFC, the matches are likely to be shifted abroad at neutral venue. Along with Kuwait and Taiwan, Nepal are drawn in Group ‘B’ that also includes Asian powerhouse Australia. The matches will be played in the home and away format.

As per the schedule, Nepal are set to visit Australia on October 10 for the third match and host Jordan for the fourth match on October 15. Silwal added the country’s supreme body of sports is doing its all to host South Asian Games as per the scheduled date.

“Getting both the stadiums in Pokhara and Kathmandu prepared is a major challlenge. We are seriously working towards it,” he said adding that the preparation works were snail-paced before he assumed his office. “The bureaucracy of the Sports Council was not confident if the Games would be held on time but its not the case now,” he said.

He also scrapped the previous NSC leadership’s decision of only letting the National Games gold medal winners join the national team training camp for the South Asian Games. The National Games were held from April 18-24 in Province 5.

“The Sports Council has discussed the issue with respective associations and coaches. Considering the nature of the games, we will let all potential players join the closed-camp,” he added.