Bangladesh are set to play two international friendlies against hosts Nepal on September 6 and 9. However, the matches have already sparked discontent among Nepali football fans, with thousands calling for a boycott and urging others not to attend.

According to a report by The Kathmandu Post, the frustration stems from the mismanagement of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), the country’s football governing body. Facing heavy criticism, ANFA has even disabled the comment option on its official Facebook page since July 21.

Citing “abusive remarks targeting players and team members,” ANFA defended its decision. But pressure has intensified since Belgian coach Patrick De Wilde openly criticized ANFA’s poor management of Nepali football in an interview with The Kathmandu Post in July.

The friendlies against Bangladesh will mark Nepal’s return to their home ground Dasharath Stadium after 655 days. The national team last played there on November 21, 2023, against Yemen in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Since then, the men’s team has played 10 matches—four friendlies and six qualifiers—all away from home.

Among those, two matches against Bahrain and the UAE were technically Nepal’s “home games,” but had to be played on the opponents’ soil after the AFC suspended Dasharath Stadium for failing to meet international standards. That suspension is still in place.

Recently, an AFC inspection team again declared the stadium unfit to host Nepal’s upcoming home fixtures against Vietnam and Malaysia. As a result, Nepal is now exploring neutral venues or shifting the matches to the opponents’ grounds. However, the Bangladesh friendlies have been cleared to go ahead at the same venue.

At a press conference, ANFA announced that only 8,000 tickets will be sold for the matches, despite Dasharath Stadium’s 15,000 capacity. Around 1,000–1,500 seats will be allocated for the VIP section, with the remainder for general fans. Tickets are being sold through an online platform, following a fresh agreement.

The Bangladesh national team is set to arrive in Nepal today (Wednesday, September 3). For training, they have been allocated grounds at the Nepali Army Headquarters and Chyasal Stadium—although both venues were deemed unfit for training by the AFC in August.