Kathmandu: The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) received a letter from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stating that the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Nepal and Bahrain will not be hosted at the Dasharath Stadium.

Despite earlier approval from FIFA, the AFC found the stadium did not meet the required standards for international tournaments. Additionally, Nepal has been barred from hosting the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers 2027 for the same reason.

ANFA, acknowledging the concerns raised by the AFC after an inspection, confirmed the relocation of the matches to a neutral venue. The AFC’s decision means that Nepal will not have the support of domestic spectators for the home match, a development ANFA expressed regret about in a statement to Nepali fans.