KATHMANDU, July 18: Nepal Army is organizing the CoAS First National Women´s Football Tournament at the football ground of the Army Headquarters in Bhadrakali from next Tuesday.
The five-day tournament, featuring eight teams, will be held from July 29 to August 2 with the technical support from All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), according to a press statement issued by the Directorate of Public Relations (DPR) of the Nepal Army.[break]
The host Tribhuvan Army Club, Nepal Police Club, Armed Police Force (APF) Club, Eastern Region, Central Region, Western Region, Mid-Western Region and Far-Western Region are the eight teams set to compete in the tournament.
The tournament will be held in knockout format, the statement added.
“This is the first time we are organizing a national level tournament for women footballers,” Colonel Prayog Rana, deputy director at the DPR, told Republica.
“We want to encourage women´s sports,” he added.
Nepal Army believes that the tournament will be helpful in enhancing the skills of the national women footballers.
A source at the Army Headquarters said that the tournament carries a “good cash prize” but did not disclose the amount.
Meanwhile, Army´s coach Yogambar Suwal is expecting a tough challenge from other two departmental teams - Police and APF.
“Our players have progressed a lot in a short span after the establishment of the women´s team about one and a half years ago. Three of our players are in the national team and we are ready to give a tough fight to our title challegers Police and APF,” said Suwal.
“However, the tie-sheet has´t been drawn and our only fear is that anything can happen in a knockout tournament,” he added.
APF had won the previous edition of the national women´s football championship, the Ncell Cup, while Police had lifted the title of the women´s football league last year in Dhangadhi.
Sports analyst Sanjib Mishra says that the Army´s initiative to organize an additional tournament is a boost to the development of women´s football in Nepal.
“Women footballers are in a need of exposure as only four national tournaments have been held so far. This tournament is certainly going to benefit the players a lot,” he said.