National League starts today

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Jan. 14: The National League Football is set to kick off on Wednesday at Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.

Kankrebihar Youth Club will face Friends Club in the opening match of the competition, where 17 clubs will vie for the title and a prize of Rs. 5 million.

ANFA, which has been unable to stage the Martyrs’ Memorial ‘A’ Division League for the past three years, will now run the National League on a single round‑robin basis. Matches will be played at Dasharath Stadium, the ANFA ground in Satdobato, and the Chyasal Stadium.

Alongside 13 ‘A’ Division clubs, Laligurans Association, Kankrebihar Youth Club, Nava Janajagriti Club and Chitlang FC from outside the capital will also take part.

At a pre‑match press conference on Tuesday, coaches and captains of 15 teams pledged strong performances and expressed confidence in lifting the title despite limited preparation. Kankrebihar and Nava Janajagriti, who qualified through the President’s League, were absent.

Machhindra FC head coach Prabesh Katuwal admitted his side’s preparations had not gone as expected. “With players busy in the Gold Cup, we could not prepare satisfactorily. The team is good, but we have not had proper training. This time, Machhindra are not the same side people have seen before. The target, however, remains to win the title.”

Captain Bishal Shrestha added: “We had just a week for preparations. Fitness is still not as expected. Until now, everyone had been playing on their own.”

Tribhuvan Army FC, however, reported strong preparation. Assistant coach Jitendra Karki said: “Managed by Bal Gopal Maharjan, we have a mixture of new and senior players. We aim to win the title.” Captain George Prince Karki added: “Regular training has made us strong. We also played the Durand Cup, and internal tournaments have helped us produce new players. Overall, our squad is strong.”

Nepal Police Club also expressed confidence. Coach Chetan Ghimire and captain Ram Waji said they had regular training and a balanced team.APF coach Rajendra Tamang, who won the National League title with Three Star Club ten years ago, said his side aimed for a top‑four finish. Captain Hari Karki believed the team was balanced and well prepared.

Church Boys United, the reigning first division champions, said they had built their squad for the AFC tournament. “We have prepared to be champions. Though we had just five days of training, we hope to bring positive results,” the club stated. Captain Arik Bista admitted: “Preparation has not been good. We played a friendly match but lacked proper training.”

Manang Marsyangdi Club arrive with just a week’s preparation. Coach Sailesh Karmacharya said: “The team includes youth players from the second and third divisions. We are under pressure to preserve our status. We are taking the tournament as preparation for the first division league.” Captain Nava Raj Gurung added: “The new players will gain valuable experience playing in the league.”

Friends Club coach Ramesh Maharjan said: “Preparation has been good so far. We have built the team with youth players, trained hard, and believe the players will do their best.” Captain Rupesh KC echoed confidence in their performance.

Shree Bhagwati Club coach Dhanesh Prajapati emphasised team unity and set a target of finishing in the top three. Captain Ashok Khawas, however, noted: “Preparation has felt more like for a knockout tournament than a league. We have experienced players and will try our best.”

Satdobato Youth Club coach Balgopal Sahukhala said: “We have had ten days of training. My boys are fit and we have formed the team to clinch the title.”

Sankata Club coach Rabindra Shilakar explained: “We could not bring in top players as registration was delayed. We have formed the team with academy players and some seniors. Junior players will debut, while foreign recruits will be added as needed.”

Laligurans Association coach Kiran Shrestha said: “We trained for three weeks in Pokhara, prioritising players from Gandaki. The team is a mix of senior and junior players. We hope to play good football.”

Jawalakhel Youth Club, with around a month’s training, arrive with three foreign players and academy recruits. Coach Sunil Shrestha said: “Like everyone, our aim is to win the title.” Captain Yunesh Chaudhary added: “We will give a tough fight to every opponent.”

Chitlang FC coach Prajwal Pratip Chhetry said: “Our aim is to gain experience playing against top‑tier clubs. We will produce the best football possible and play total football.”