Match-Fixing and Financial Misconduct: Police Investigate Nepal’s Football Federation

^{ANFA treasurer Rabindra Joshi (left) and accounting staff member Sanjeev Pandey (right)}

Police in Nepal have launched an investigation into officials at the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) over suspected involvement in match-fixing, financial irregularities and fraud, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Two association officials have been detained. A court extended the detention of ANFA treasurer Rabindra Joshi and accounting staff member Sanjeev Pandey by four days for questioning and other investigative procedures.

Police are also investigating whether other ANFA employees may have been involved.

Among other things, investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding two matches between Nepal and Bahrain in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup. Under the original schedule, the teams were supposed to play one match in Nepal and the other in Bahrain. However, Nepal’s home match was moved, and both games were ultimately played in Bahrain.

Police are trying to determine whether financial arrangements influenced the decision to hold both matches in Bahrain. ANFA said the home match was moved because the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had ruled the pitch at Kathmandu’s Dasharath Rangasala Stadium unfit for international matches. Nepal lost the two games in Bahrain 0-5 and 0-3.

It has not been disclosed which specific matches investigators consider potentially fixed.

As part of the investigation, police searched ANFA’s office and seized laptops, four desktop computer towers and other electronic equipment.

ANFA has faced scrutiny before. In 2019, authorities investigated complaints about possible financial irregularities involving ticket sales, spending and elections for the federation’s leadership.

Separately, in June 2026, FIFA suspended ANFA’s membership over government interference in the federation’s affairs. Nepal’s National Sports Council had intervened in ANFA’s leadership elections and demanded changes to how the organization was run, which FIFA viewed as a violation of the federation’s independence.