Kathmandu, October 12

The All Nepal Football Association and Jersey Pasal Pvt Ltd today signed the sponsorship agreement for national futsal team.

ANFA President Narendra Shrestha and CEO of Jersey Pasal Krishna Prasad Gupta exchanged the memorandum of understanding amidst a ceremony ahead of the team’s farewell to Iran. The Nepal national futsal team is making its international debut from the AFC Futsal Championship 2018 Qualification for South and Central Zone slated for October 15-17.

After the three-year agreement, Jersey Pasal will provide the ANFA with the kits worth one million rupees for the national futsal team’s participation in international tournaments, informed Futsal Committee President Ramesh Rayamajhi at a press meet.

Jersey Pasal will provide two sets of futsal gears for the national team every year, while the sponsors will also give 25 per cent discount on other items except for jerseys for women’s national team and other age-group sides. Jersey Pasal, which will be the sole distributor of futsal kits in Nepal, will also set aside five per cent royalty in each sale of futsal jersey.

Meanwhile, ANFA President Shrestha and Futsal Committee President Rayamajhi among others bade farewell to the national futsal team. The team includes goalkeepers Anish Shrestha and Sumit Kumar Ale and defenders Saurabh Rakhal Magar, Raj Shahi and Amit Tamang.

Also, Aruj Singh, Nabin Lama, Binod Gurung, Mani Kumar Rana and Abhay Rana are the midfielders in the team, whereas Susaan Shrestha, Sanjog Maharjan, Nirmal Gurung, and Suraj Raut are forwards. Former national football team skipper Rakesh Shrestha is coach of the team, while Rajesh Khadgi and Bishnu Gurung are the assistant coaches.

Nepal are pitted in Group A along with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan in the Qualifiers. Nepal open the campaign with a match against Uzbekistan on October 15. They will face Kyrgyzstan the following day before playing against Turkmenistan on October 17. Similarly, hosts Iran, Tajikistan and Afghanistan are in Group B. The top two teams from both the groups will qualify for finals to be held in Chinese Taipei next year.