KATHMANDU, Nov 23: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has selected 42 players after the preliminary training for the upcoming SAFF Women's Championship 2016 to be held in Siliguri, India from December 26 to January 4. The players were shortlisted from the pool of 72 players.

The players were shortlisted by a panel comprising of the women's team head coach Kumar Thapa, ANFA Technical Director Chiaki Takeda, ANFA coaches Sunil Kumar Shrestha, Mrigendra Mishra and Ashmita Khawas.

 The 42-member squad includes five goalkeepers, 15 defenders, 14 midfielders and eight forwards. The squad will be trimmed down to 30 players few days later before announcing the final squad of 23 members.  

Nepal, which is pitted in Group A, will kick off the championship against Bhutan on December 26. Similarly, it will face the Maldives and Sri Lanka in other group matches on December 28 and 30 respectively.  

Similarly, Group B comprises of defending champion India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.  
The top two finishers of either groups will make it to the semifinals. The semifinals will be played on January 2 while the final will be held on January 4. All matches of the championship will be held at Kanchenjunga Stadium.

Squad
Goalkeeper:  Anjila Thumba Subba, Namita Kumari Dali, Laxmi Nepal, Rupa Rana Magar and Anjana Rana Magar. 

Defender: Ghim Kumari Gurung, Amrita Jaisi, Anjali Waiba, Mana Maya Limbu, Hira Kumari Bhujel, Poonam Jarga Magar, Gita Rana, Bimala BK, Nanda Kumari Thapa, Kabita Dhimal, Santa Rai, Bhoj Kumari Thapa, Anju Lopchan, Nisha Thokar and Usha Bhandari. 

Midfielder: Sapana Lama, Dipa Rai, Laxmi Paudel, Anita Basnet, Deepa Adhikari, Srijana Khadka, Renuka Nagarkoti, Anita KC, Reena Guvaju, Yasodha Lama, Bhujunga Rai, Indira Rai, Rupa Magar and Anjali Yonzon. 

Forwards: Sabitra Bhandari, Krishna Khatri, Sharmila Thapa, Niru Thapa, Rashmi Kumari Ghising, Nirmala BK, Manju Gurung and Saru Limbu. 

 
• all nepal football association
 
• saff women's championship 2016