Home Game ?Later. Away Game ? Now.

Kathmandu, Mar. 2: Dasharath Rangasala, the home of Nepali football, will not be witnessing the home game of the men’s team against Malaysia in the Third Round of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers. 

Nepal, one of the ten winning teams of First Round, did not win a single game against the UAE, Bahrain and Yemen in the Second Round of the Qualifiers. There were 36 teams in the Second Round; of them, 26 teams received byes and 10 others were winners from the first round.

However, Nepal, alongside 23 other countries, made it to the Third Round. Of the 24 teams, three are best ranked losing teams from the first round, 18 third and fourth-placed teams from the second round and three winners from the play-off round.

Nepal, in the Third/Final Round, and 23 other countries are fighting for the remaining six spots in the 2027 Asian Cup. Nepal is in Group F with Malaysia, Vietnam and Laos, with the teams playing six games each in home-away format.

As per the fixtures, Nepal would open the Third Round with a home game against Malaysia on March 25. Nevertheless, Nepal’s home fixture was postponed.

“The AFC came for inspecting Dasharath Rangasala. However, we could not provide some documents on time, due to which the suspension of international games continued. However, we are not playing our home fixture in Malaysia now,” said Suresh Shah, spokesperson for the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).

Thus, Nepal will play the away fixture slated for November 18, 2025, against Malaysia on March 25. “We will be ready to host Malaysia for the home fixture in November,” said Shah.

Malaysia’s Sultan Ibrahi Stadium in Johor will host the game in March. 

Meanwhile, Nepal is also scheduled to play a friendly against Singapore, at the latter’s home, on March 21 as a preparation before facing Malaysia.