Nepal national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Nepal women's national football team.

Quick facts for kids
Nepal

Nickname(s)

The Gorkhalis

Association

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA)

Confederation

AFC (Asia)

Sub-confederation

SAFF (South Asia)

Captain

Kiran Chemjong

Most caps

Kiran Chemjong (104)

Top scorer

Hari Khadka
Nirajan Rayamajhi
Anjan Bista (13)

Home stadium

Dasharath Stadium

FIFA code

NEP

First colours

Second colours

FIFA ranking

Current

161

(7 February 2019)

Highest

124 (December 1993 – February 1994)

Lowest

196 (January 2016)

Elo ranking

Current

201

1 (3 March 2019)

Highest

168 (23 November 1987)

Lowest

210 (1 May 1999)

First international

China 6–2 Nepal

(Beijing, China; 13 October 1972)

Biggest win

Nepal 7–0 Bhutan

(Kathmandu, Nepal; 26 September 1999)

Biggest defeat

South Korea 16–0 Nepal

(Incheon, South Korea; 29 September 2003)

SAFF Championship

Appearances

13 (first in 1993)

Best result

Runners-up (2021)

AFC Solidarity Cup

Appearances

1 (first in 2016)

Best result

Champions (2016)

AFC Challenge Cup

Appearances

3 (first in 2006)

Best result

Semi-finals (2006)

The Nepal national football team represents Nepal in international men's football games. This team is also known as the Gorkhalis. The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) manages the team. They play their home games at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu. Nepal is part of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Nepal Football History

Early Days of Nepali Football (1921-1993)

Football became a popular sport in Nepal as early as 1921. This was during the time of the Rana dynasty. Many football clubs were created. Tournaments like the Ram Janaki Cup (1934) and the Tribhuvan Challenge Shield (1948) were also held.

In 1951, the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) was started. This led to the creation of the Nepal national football team.

Nepal's First International Matches (1963-1970)

Nepal played its first international away game in 1963. This was at the Aga Khan Gold Cup in Dhaka, which is now Bangladesh. ANFA sent 18 players to play. Nepal lost their first match 0–7 against a Pakistani team called Western Railway. Two days later, they lost again 0–7 to the Dhaka Wanderers.

However, in their final game, Nepal won 1–0 against the Dhaka Police Club. Prakash Bikram Shah scored the winning goal. He was the first Nepali player to score a goal on foreign soil.

Joining FIFA and Big Wins (1970-1999)

In 1970, Nepal officially joined FIFA. Two years later, they became a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). Nepal played its first official international match on October 13, 1972. They lost 2–6 to the People's Republic of China.

Y.B Ghale scored Nepal's first international goal in a FIFA-recognized tournament. This happened against Kuwait in the 1982 Asian Games.

Even though football was popular, Nepal faced challenges. They didn't have enough good football fields or trainers. But FIFA helped by providing money and coaches. This support helped Nepal start its first youth football program. The program looked for talented young players in schools.

1984 South Asian Games gold medal winning Nepal national team

This youth program was very successful. Many players from the program joined the national team. They helped Nepal win gold medals at the first and sixth South Asian Federation (SAF) Games. Nepal has done well in the South Asian Games, winning two gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.

In the mid-1980s, Nepal hosted friendly matches against strong teams. These included Denmark (1986), USSR and East Germany (1987), and West Germany (1989).

Nepal also won other tournaments. They won the Governor's Gold Cup in 1997 and 1998. They also finished third in the 1993 South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation Gold Cup (the first SAFF Championship).

Tough Times for the Team (2000-2009)

From 2001 to 2003, Nepali football faced problems. There were disagreements between different groups managing football. This led to Nepal being banned from some events. Their world ranking dropped a lot.

In January 2003, Nepal played its 100th international football match. It was against Bangladesh in the SAFF Championship. Nepal didn't perform very well in this tournament.

Even with efforts to improve, Nepal struggled in international football outside South Asia. In 2003, during the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Nepal lost heavily. In one match against South Korea, they lost 0–16. In six matches, Nepal gave up 45 goals and didn't score any.

However, in the qualifiers for the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Nepal had some good moments. They won two out of four matches. They scored 13 goals in two games against Macao and Iraq.

Coming Back Stronger (2010-Present)

Nepal playing against India in the 2021 SAFF Championship final

After 2010, Nepal's football team started to improve. They won three big tournaments in 2016: the Bangabandhu Cup, the AFC Solidarity Cup, and a gold medal in the 2016 South Asian Games. Nepal did not lose any matches in 2016.

Nepal also had good performances in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification. They drew two matches 0–0 at home against stronger teams like the Philippines and Yemen. However, they did not qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

In the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, Nepal faced tough teams. They managed one win against Chinese Taipei (2–0).

In the 2021 SAFF Championship, Nepal reached the final. They were defeated 0–3 by India.

In October 2023, Nepal played against Laos in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. They drew the first game. In the second game, Manish Dangi scored the only goal, helping Nepal move to the next round.

In March 2024, Nepal lost to Bahrain 0–3 in a World Cup qualification match. This meant they could not advance further in the tournament.

Home Stadium

Dasarath Rangasala Stadium

The main home ground for the Nepal national football team is Dasarath Rangasala Stadium. It is a large stadium in Kathmandu, Nepal. It can hold 15,000 people. This is the biggest stadium in Nepal. It is named after Dashrath Chand, a national hero.

The stadium has hosted important football events. These include the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and the 2013 SAFF Championship. Before the 2013 SAFF Championship, the stadium was improved. Its seating capacity was increased from 20,000 to 28,000.

Besides football, the stadium is also used for music concerts. Famous artists like Bryan Adams have performed there. Nepal also has newer stadiums, like the Pokhara football stadium built in 2021.

Team Look

Kit Colors

The national team's uniform uses the colors red, blue, and white. These colors are the same as the flag of Nepal. Red is usually for home games, and blue is for away games. Some kits even have patterns that look like the triangular shape of the Nepali flag.

Nepal's kits are often standard designs. This is because the team is not big enough to have special deals with sports brands.

In 2019, ANFA showed two new jerseys for the team. The new jerseys have the ANFA logo on the left side. The old jerseys used to have the national flag there. The new design also includes the national flag and a picture of Mount Everest above the ANFA logo.

In 2021, ANFA changed its kit sponsor from Kelme to KTM CTY.

Nepal Red & Blue Teams

Sometimes, during the ANFA Cup, the All Nepal Football Association would enter two teams from Nepal. These were called Nepal Red and Nepal Blue.

Nepal Red was the main national team. It included most of Nepal's top players. Nepal Blue was like a second team. The captain of the regular national team would also lead the Nepal Red team.

Recent Matches

Here are the results of Nepal's matches from the last year and upcoming games.

Win Draw Loss Fixture

2023 Matches

2026 World Cup qualification 16 November 2023 (2023-11-16)	United Arab Emirates	4–0	Nepal	Dubai, United Arab Emirates
19:45 UTC+4	Al Hammadi 11' Mabkhout 36' (pen.), 44' Lima 45+1'	https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288263/288267/400017188?gender=1&date=2023-11-15		Stadium: Al Maktoum Stadium Attendance: 3,640 Referee: Hettikamkanamge Perera (Sri Lanka)

2026 World Cup qualification 21 November 2023	Nepal	0–2	Yemen	Kathmandu, Nepal
19:00 UTC+5:45		https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/match-centre/match/520/288263/288267/400017179?gender=1&date=2023-11-20	O.Al-Dahi 72' M.Al-Dahi 90'	Stadium: Dasharath Rangasala Attendance: 13,735 Referee: Shen Yinhao (China)

2024 Matches

Unofficial Friendly 15 March 2024	Malaysia	5–1	Nepal	Shah Alam, Malaysia
	Lok 31' (pen.), 36' Wilkin 46' Ting 48' Mukhairi 135'	https://www.bernama.com/en/sports/news.phpid=2279699#:~:text=KUALA%20LUMPUR%2C%20March%2016%20(Bernama,Shah%20Alam%20Stadium%20last%20night.	Tamang 68'	Stadium: UiTM Stadium

2026 World Cup qualification 21 March 2024 (2024-03-21)	Nepal	0–5	Bahrain	Riffa, Bahrain
22:00 UTC+3		Report	Al-Humaidan 2' Baqer 4' Madan 45+4' Al-Khattal 87' Abdullatif 90+6'	Stadium: Bahrain National Stadium Attendance: 5,041 Referee: Alex King (Australia)

2026 World Cup qualification 26 March 2024 (2024-03-26)	Bahrain	3–0	Nepal	Riffa, Bahrain
22:00 UTC+3	Baqer 7' Helal 18' Al-Aswad 36'	Report (FIFA) Report (AFC)		Stadium: Bahrain National Stadium Attendance: 2,475 Referee: Ryo Tanimoto (Japan)

Unofficial Friendly 6 May 2024	England C	2–0	Nepal	Aldershot, England
	Kabamba 8' Stead 13'	Report		Stadium: Recreation Ground Attendance: 5,560 Referee: Tom Owen (Wales)

2026 World Cup qualification 6 June 2024 (2024-06-06)	Nepal	0–4	United Arab Emirates	Dammam, Saudi Arabia
19:00 UTC+3		Report (FIFA) Report (AFC)	Abdalla 12', 14' Saleh 53' Mohammad 75'	Stadium: Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium Attendance: 2,450 Referee: Payam Heydari (Iran)

2026 World Cup qualification 11 June 2024 (2024-06-11)	Yemen	2–2	Nepal	Dammam, Saudi Arabia
21:00 UTC+3	Nasser 9' (pen.) Abdullah 91'	Report (FIFA) Report (AFC)	Bista 22' Karki 66'	Stadium: Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium Attendance: 905 Referee: Ahmad Ibrahim (Jordan)

Friendly 13 November	Tajikistan	4–0	Nepal	Dushanbe, Tajikistan
18:00 UTC+5	Mabatshoev 19', 45' A.Dzhalilov 29', 50'	https://www.sofascore.com/football/match/nepal-tajikistan/NujsOuj#id:13111215		Stadium: Central Republican Stadium

Friendly 16 November	Nepal	2–0	Afghanistan	Dushanbe,Tajikistan
18:00 UTC+5	Karki 46' Chand 78'	https://www.flashscore.com/match/GvFIVHPk/#/match-summary		Stadium: Central Republican Stadium

2025 Upcoming Matches

2027 ACQ – 3R 25 March	Nepal	v	TBD	Nepal

2027 ACQ – 3R 10 June	TBD	v	Nepal	TBD

2027 ACQ – 3R 9 October	TBD	v	Nepal	TBD

2027 ACQ – 3R 14 October	Nepal	v	TBD	Nepal

2027 ACQ – 3R 18 November	TBD	v	Nepal	TBD

2026 Upcoming Matches

2027 ACQ – 3R 31 March	Nepal	v	TBD	Nepal

Team Coaches

Current Coaching Staff

Team manager	Uttam Raj Bhandari
Head coach
Assistant coach	Chetan Ghimire
Goalkeeping coach	Manish Timilsina
Physiotherapist	Avishkar Pudasaini
Kit Manager	Bikash Gurung

Coaching History

Head coach	Career	P	W	D	L	Win %	Competitions	Comment	Ref.
Rudi Gutendorf	1981–82	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1982 Asian Games
Jochen Figge	1984–85	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1984 South Asian Games: Gold medalist
Rudi Gutendorf	1986	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000
Joe Kinnear	1987	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1987 South Asian Games: Silver medalist
Reinhard Fabisch	1989	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000
Dhan Bahadur Basnet	1989–91	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000
Maheshwor Mulmi Holger Obermann	1991–93	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1991 South Asian Games 1993 SAARC Gold Cup: Third place	Although both Obermann and Mulmi were heavily involved in the national team during these years, Obermann was hired by the All Nepal Football Association as a 'Technical Director'
Dhan Bahadur Basnet	1993–94	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1993 South Asian Games: Gold medalist 1994 Asian Games
Maheshwor Mulmi	1995	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1995 Bristol SAFF Gold Cup
Yogambar Suwal	1995	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1995 South Asian Games
Bhim Thapa	1996	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1996 AFC Asian Cup: Failed to qualify
Yogambar Suwal	1997	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1998 FIFA World Cup: Failed to qualify
Dhan Bahadur Basnet	1997	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1997 SAFF Gold Cup
Yoo Kee-heung	1998	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1998 Asian Games
Torsten Spittler	1999	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1999 SAFF Gold Cup: Fourth place
Stephen Constantine	1999–01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	1999 South Asian Games: Silver medalist 2000 ANFA Coca Cola Invitational Tournament: Finalist
Maheshwor Mulmi	2001	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2002 FIFA World Cup: Failed to qualify
Yoo Kee-heung	2003	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2003 SAFF Gold Cup: Group stage
Toshihiko Shiozawa	2005–06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2005 SAFF Gold Cup: Group stage
Shyam Thapa	2006–07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2006 AFC Challenge Cup: Semi-final 2010 FIFA World Cup: Failed to qualify
Thomas Flath	2008	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2008 SAFF Championship: Group stage
Birat Krishna Shrestha	2008	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2008 AFC Challenge Cup: Group stage
Krishna Thapa	2008–09	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2008 Merdeka Tournament: Group stage
Yogamber Suwal	2009	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2009 Prime Minister's Invitational Tournament: Champions 2010 AFC Challenge Cup: Failed to qualify
Krishna Thapa	2009–11	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2009 SAFF Championship: Group stage
Graham Roberts	2011–12	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2011 SAFF Championship: Semi-final 2014 FIFA World Cup: Failed to qualify 2012 AFC Challenge Cup: Group stage	Reached Round 2 in the World Cup qualifiers for the first time
Krishna Thapa	2012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2012 Nehru Cup
Jack Stefanowski	2013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2013 SAFF Championship: Semi-final 2014 AFC Challenge Cup: Failed to qualify
Raju Kaji Shakya	2014	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000
Jack Stefanowski	2014–15	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000	2018 FIFA World Cup: Failed to qualify
Dhruba KC	2015	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&&0-2.1000000-	&&&&&&&&&&&&0100.&&&&&01000
Patrick Aussems	2015–16	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&0&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	2015 SAFF Championship: Group stage
Bal Gopal Maharjan	2016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&060.&&&&&060	2016 Bangabandhu Cup: Champions	Earned Nepal's first major title in 23 years
Koji Gyotoku	2016–18	&&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031	2016 AFC Solidarity Cup: Champions	Earned Nepal's first AFC title
Bal Gopal Maharjan	2018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&033.&&&&&033	2018 SAFF Championship: Semi-final 2018 Bangabandhu Cup: Group stage	Interim Coach
Johan Kalin	2019–20	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&06.&&&&&06	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017
Bal Gopal Maharjan	2020–21	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&020.&&&&&020
Abdullah Al Mutairi	2021–22	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	&&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028	2021 SAFF Championship runner up
Pradip Humagain	2022	1	1	0	0	100
Interim coach
Prabesh Katuwal	2022	1	1	0	0	100
Vincenzo Alberto Annese	2023–24	10	3	3	4	33	2023 SAFF Championship: Group stage

Players

Current Squad

The players listed below were chosen for friendly matches against Afghanistan and Tajikistan in November 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of June 11, 2024, after the game against Yemen.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1GK	Kiran Chemjong (captain)	(1990-03-20) 20 March 1990 (age 35)	102	0	Free Agent
1GK	Deep Karki	(1998-01-09) 9 January 1998 (age 27)	5	0	Church Boys United
1GK	Bishal Sunar	(2002-02-09) 9 February 2002 (age 23)	1	0	Friends Club

2DF	Rohit Chand	(1992-03-01) 1 March 1992 (age 33)	92	0	Persik Kediri
2DF	Sanish Shrestha	(2000-11-09) 9 November 2000 (age 24)	17	0	Church Boys United
2DF	Chhiring Lama	(2002-04-07) 7 April 2002 (age 23)	5	0	Church Boys United
2DF	Bimal Panday	(1990-01-21) 21 January 1990 (age 35)	3	0	Tribhuwan Army Club
2DF	Abhishek Limbu	(1999-08-21) 21 August 1999 (age 25)	2	0	Chyasal Youth Club
2DF	Abhishek Waiba		0	0
2DF	Anjal Maharjan	(2002-02-02) 2 February 2002 (age 23)	0	0	Pokhara Thunders
2DF	Randip Paudyal	(2002-10-06) 6 October 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Dhangadhi

3MF	Bharat Khawas	(1991-07-22) 22 July 1991 (age 33)	63	10	Tribhuwan Army Club
3MF	Manish Dangi	(2001-09-17) 17 September 2001 (age 23)	33	4	Free Agent
4FW	Ayush Ghalan	(2004-02-21) 21 February 2004 (age 21)	26	2	Church Boys United
2DF	Arik Bista	(2000-03-17) 17 March 2000 (age 25)	25	0	Shillong Lajong FC
3MF	Utsav Rai	(2003-11-29) 29 November 2003 (age 21)	6	0	Chitwan
3MF	Mani Kumar Lama	(1996-03-24) 24 March 1996 (age 29)	4	0	Butwal Lumbini
3MF	Sumit Shrestha	(2004-01-30) 30 January 2004 (age 21)	2	0	Jhapa
3MF	Rohan Karki	(2002-09-21) 21 September 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Church Boys United
3MF	Arbind Rai		0	0

4FW	Anjan Bista	(1998-05-15) 15 May 1998 (age 27)	65	13	Church Boys United
4FW	Gillespye Jung Karki	(1998-11-19) 19 November 1998 (age 26)	9	1	Butwal Lumbini
2DF	Nirajan Dhami	(2005-06-02) 2 June 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Butwal Lumbini

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called to a Nepal squad in the last 12 months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Abishek Baral	(2000-04-09) 9 April 2000 (age 25)	0	0	Kathmandu Rayzrs	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024

DF	Ananta Tamang	(1998-01-17) 17 January 1998 (age 27)	64	4	Church Boys United	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
DF	Saubhagya Rai	(1997-06-23) 23 June 1997 (age 28)	4	0	Pokhara Thunders	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
DF	Bishal Basnet	(2002-04-29) 29 April 2002 (age 23)	3	0	Khumaltar	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
DF	Ajay Chaudhury	(2004-03-19) 19 March 2004 (age 21)	0	0	New Road Team	v. Bahrain; 26 March 2024
DF	Yogesh Gurung	(2002-03-17) 17 March 2002 (age 23)	2	0	Jhapa	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023
DF	Anjan Rai	(1994-12-15) 15 December 1994 (age 30)	1	0	Kathmandu Rayzrs	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023
DF	Amrit Shrestha	(1996-12-29) 29 December 1996 (age 28)	2	0	Chitwan	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023

MF	Laken Limbu	(2002-07-24) 24 July 2002 (age 22)	13	0	Delhi	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
MF	Basnat Jimba	(2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Tribhuwan Army Club	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
MF	Aashish Rai	(2003-02-24) 24 February 2003 (age 22)	0	0	New Road Team	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
MF	Sesehang Aangdembe	(2000-11-03) 3 November 2000 (age 24)	9	0	Lalitpur City	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023
MF	Nishan Hamal	(2000-01-01) 1 January 2000 (age 25)	0	0	Nepzum	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023
MF	Kritish Ratna Chhunju	(2003-04-11) 11 April 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Dhangadhi	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023

FW	Hisub Thapaliya	(1999-01-16) 16 January 1999 (age 26)	9	0	Kathmandu Rayzrs	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
FW	Sanjeeb Bista	(2002-02-17) 17 February 2002 (age 23)	4	1	Pokhara Thunders	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
FW	Aashik Babu Chaudhary	(2001-02-26) 26 February 2001 (age 24)	0	0	Tribhuwan Army Club	v. Yemen; 11 June 2024
FW	Dinesh Henjan	(2001-02-03) 3 February 2001 (age 24)	6	0	Lalitpur City	v. Bahrain; 26 March 2024
FW	Samir Tamang	(2006-01-01) 1 January 2006 (age 19)	1	0	Free agent	v. Bahrain; 26 March 2024
FW	Rajesh Pariyar	(2000-01-29) 29 January 2000 (age 25)	1	0	Chitwan	v. Yemen; 21 November 2023
Notes ^INJ = Withdrew due to injury. ^PRE = Preliminary squad / standby. ^RET = Retired from the national team. ^SUS = Serving suspension. ^WD = Player withdrew from the squad due to non-injury issue.

Player Records

Players in bold are still playing for Nepal.

Most Games Played

Kiran Chemjong has played the most games for Nepal with 102 appearances.

Rank	Player	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Kiran Chemjong	102	0	2008–present
2	Rohit Chand	92	0	2009–present
3	Raju Kaji Shakya	91	0	1982–1997
4	Biraj Maharjan	76	1	2008–2021
5	Sagar Thapa	66	1	2003–2015
6	Anjan Bista	65	13	2014–present
7	Ananta Tamang	64	4	2015–present
8	Bharat Khawas	63	10	2008–present
9	Nawayug Shrestha	54	10	2015–present
10	Anil Gurung	53	10	2007–2017
	Ju Manu Rai	53	11	2006–2015
	Sandip Rai	53	4	2008–2015

Top Goal Scorers

Anjan Bista is one of Nepal's top scorers with 13 goals.

Rank	Player	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Nirajan Rayamajhi	13	21	0.62	2000–2008
	Hari Khadka	13	39	0.33	1995–2006
	Anjan Bista	13	65	0.2	2014–present
4	Ju Manu Rai	11	53	0.21	2006–2015
5	Anil Gurung	10	53	0.19	2007–2017
	Nawayug Shrestha	10	54	0.19	2015–present
	Bharat Khawas	10	63	0.16	2008–present
8	Bimal Gharti Magar	9	44	0.2	2012–present
9	Basanta Thapa	8	34	0.24	1998–2006
10	Naresh Joshi	6	15	0.4	1997–2000

Team Achievements

Continental Trophies

AFC Solidarity Cup
- Champions (1): 2016

Regional Trophies

South Asian Games
- Gold medal (2): 1984, 1993
- Silver medal (2): 1987, 1999
- Bronze medal (1): 1985
SAFF Championship
- Runners-up (1): 2021
- Third place (1): 1993