B Division Football League set to kick off after 3 years

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 8: After a three-year hiatus, the Martyr's Memorial B Division League is set to begin on March 9. The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) announced on Friday that all preparations for the league have been completed.

The last edition of the B Division League took place in 2022, where Church Boys United emerged as the champion. This second-tier league will be held at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu and the ANFA Complex in Lalitpur. A total of 91 matches will be played in a single round-robin format.

Fourteen football clubs will compete for the title, which is valued at Rs. 1.5 million. The participating clubs are RCT, Shree Bhagwati Club, Tushal Youth Club, Brigade Boys Club, Boys Union Club, Madhyapur Youth Club, Chyasal Youth Club, Shree Kumari Club, Bansbari Club, Naya Basti Youth Club, Saraswoti Youth Club, Birgunj United Club, Jhapa Football Club, and Planning Boys United. The top two teams in the standings will be promoted to the A Division, while the bottom two teams will be relegated to the C Division.

ANFA also announced that an additional amount of Rs. 25000 will be awarded to the winning team of each match, while Rs. 10,000 will be given to teams that draw. The league's best players will receive Rs. 100,000 as a reward.

At a press conference, ANFA spokesperson Suresh Sah mentioned that Prime HD will provide live coverage of the league on its TV channel and YouTube. “The marketing, ticketing, and broadcasting rights have been acquired by MDAC Sports,” Sah stated.

The total budget for the B Division League is estimated to be around Rs. 393 million, and ANFA has already allocated Rs. 1.45 million to each club to support their preparations.

While the ANFA has proposed a league duration of three months, the participating clubs have requested a shorter duration, citing concerns about the feasibility of sustaining a longer league. Additionally, the league's schedule will overlap with the Nepal Super League, which is set to begin on March 29.