KATHMANDU, August 21: All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) is set to host the first ever futsal league in the country from August 25 to September 10. To host the first five editions of the futsal league, ANFA has chosen Turnpike Event Private Limited as its partner.
ANFA and Turnpike signed an agreement in this regard, in Kathmandu on Sunday.
ANFA’s president Narendra Shrestha and Turnpike’s executive director Ukesh Lohani signed on behalf of their respective institutions.
According to the agreement, Turnpike will bear two-thirds of the expenses to host the league, while ANFA will bear the remaining part of the expenses.
ANFA said that the estimated budget for the first edition of the league was Rs 3 million. Turnpike and ANFA will bear Rs 2 million and Rs 1 million, respectively.
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For all the five editions, Turnpike will spend Rs 15 million, while ANFA will spend Rs 7.5 million. As per the agreement, Turnpike will look after marketing and advertising of the league and it will have the right to look for sponsors and profit acquired from them, while ANFA will have the right on the television money.
Speaking at the signing event, ANFA’s president Shrestha said that the Nepali football governing body is looking forward to promoting futsal clubs in the urban areas by organizing the league.
“The popularity of futsal clubs is increasing and we are hopeful that the league will help them become more popular,” said Shrestha: “This league also will help us to produce players to participate in international competitions.”
ANFA informed that the timeframe for registration of the teams ended on Sunday. However, the number of teams is yet to be disclosed. ANFA’s futsal committee coordinator Ramesh Rayamajhi informed that only the futsal clubs which were affiliated to ANFA’s district committees will be allowed to participate in the league.
On the same occasion, Turnpike’s executive director Ukesh Lohani said that the tie up with ANFA in order to host the league will make Nepali futsals more organized.
“Futsals are very popular in Nepal among the youth but they are not organized. This league will be helpful to make the clubs more organized,” said Lohani.
The league will serve as qualifying event for the players to participate in the AFC Futsal Championship 2018 Qualifiers to be held in Iran from October 12 to 22.
