Lalitpur, September 7:

All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) is set to defy the National Sports Council (NSC) directives and go ahead with its scheduled B Division League Football.

The ANFA decided to follow its calender even after the NSC directed to stop A and B Division League Friday. “We had announced our annual programme way back (May 18) and we are not in the position to stop it at this point,” ANFA spokesperson Lalit Krishna Shrestha said at a press meet.

Of the 18 B Division clubs, only nine have registered with the ANFA. Nine other clubs joined Nepal Football Association, the so-called parallel association registered by the NSC.

Among the teams to participate in the ANFA league are Kathmandu Club, Sano Gaucharan Club, Birgunj Youth Academy, Bansbari Club, Kumari Club, Swayambhu Club, Koilapani Polstar Club, Himalayan Sherpa Club and Tushal Youth Club. The top four teams will be promoted to the upper division. With fewer teams in the field, no clubs will be relegated this time around, ANFA announced.

ANFA will provide Rs 100,000 each to all the teams as preparation money. The winners and the runners up will get Rs 200,000 and Rs 100,000 respectively. The best forward, midfielder, defender, goalkeeper and coach will get Rs 10,000 each.

Meanwhile, representatives from the A, B and C Division clubs handed over a memorandum to Minister for Youth and Sports Gopal Shakya clarifying the current situation in Nepali football. The team, led by Nabil Three Star Club president Lalit Krishna Shrestha, also demanded compensation from the NSC if the A and B Division League fail to take place on scheduled dates.