Although Nepal is not playing in the 2026 World Cup, Nepali fans still celebrated the tournament and their love of football by supporting their favourite teams and players.

People could be seen on Kathmandu’s busy streets wearing their favourite team’s shirt or heard at home discussing the World Cup, which is organised every four years by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).

Nepali fans recently suffered a blow from FIFA as it imposed an indefinite ban on the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) with immediate effect, citing “third-party interference” as its reason.

This means that Nepal’s national football teams, both men and women, are ineligible to participate in FIFA-run games or tournaments. ANFA has also lost access to FIFA and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) funding, training and development programmes.

The World Cup is one of the most anticipated events in the world, inspiring generations to get involved in sport, particularly in football. Millions of fans and supporters travel to cheer for their teams.

Harbingers’ Magazine interviewed some Nepali fans who support various players and teams in the World Cup to know more about their views.

Roshan B.K, 13, loves playing football and hopes to become a professional player in the future. He is a fan of Ronaldo and supports the Portugal national team, and hoped they would win the FIFA World Cup. “Although Ronaldo is out of the tournament now, he is the greatest player to me,” he says. He particularly admires Ronaldo’s bicycle kicks and headed goals.

Kalpesh Chadara, 14, admires Neymar from Brazil and aspires to become a greater footballer than him. He is a devoted fan and considers Neymar to be the king of football. The 34-year-old retired from playing international football during the World Cup.

Binita Nepali, 15, is preparing for her upcoming school exams. Despite the pressure, she made time to watch Argentina’s matches. She is a big fan of Argentina’s superstar player, Lionel Messi, and says, “I hope to see another championship star added to the Argentina jersey.”

Twelve-year-old Kshitij Nepali is a fan of Lamine Yamal of Spain and jokingly tells others he is Yamal’s younger brother. He admires Yamal’s playing style and fashion. He has often stayed up at night to watch Spain’s matches. When asked who will win this time, he correctly predicts: “Spain will lift the trophy this time.”

 

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Simran Tamang, 13, from Dada Gaun near Kathmandu, is an Erling Haaland fan. Haaland plays for Norway and is considered one of their best players. He is known for his physical fitness and humorous personality. Simran is a great fan of his expressions and walking style, and she hopes to see him win the World Cup in the future.

Leon Tamang, also 13, is a supporter of Kylian Mbappé, France’s star player. He is a prominent fan at his school and wanted to see another star earned for the French jersey by Mbappé.

He strongly believes Mbappé is the future of football. “He will break the record of all players,” he says with conviction. In fact, Mbappé was the winner of this year’s Golden Boot, for scoring the most goals during the tournament.