ANFA officials denied flight to World Cup over passport watchlist

Two top officials from the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) were prevented from traveling to Mexico for the 2026 FIFA World Cup's inaugural match due to their passports being placed on a 'watchlist' by the Department of Immigration. Pankaj Bikram Nembang, ANFA president, and General Secretary Kiran Rai were denied boarding their flight from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu.

Anuj Bhandari, information officer at the TIA Immigration Office, confirmed that immigration officials discovered the 'watchlist' status when checking their passports. This restriction was reportedly put in place following a request from the National Sports Council (NSC), with recommendations from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The watchlist was updated in April, about a month after ANFA was suspended by the NSC.

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We studied the documents but did not find enough context to blacklist the passports of ANFA officials. We then updated their passport numbers under ‘watchlist’.

Although the NSC lifted ANFA's suspension in May due to pressure from FIFA, the council did not recommend removing the officials' passports from the watchlist. Nembang and Rai had reportedly sought the removal of the travel ban, even meeting with the NSC, but their request was denied. Despite this, they proceeded to the airport, only to be turned back.

Teeka Ram Dhakal, director and spokesperson at the Department of Immigration, clarified that the passports were placed on a 'watchlist,' not a 'blacklist.' He explained that blacklisting is reserved for fugitives or those under serious investigation. The decision to place them on the watchlist was made after a review of documents, as the department did not find sufficient grounds for a full blacklist.

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When their passports were checked, it was found they were kept under watch by the Department of Immigration. As a result, they were denied entry.