Nepali captains share their views on FIFA World Cup

KATHMANDU: The FIFA World Cup 2026, jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, kicked off on Thursday midnight, marking a historic edition of the global football spectacle. The tournament features 48 teams, 1,248 players, and will be played across 16 cities and 16 stadiums, with a total of 104 matches scheduled.

As the world is swept up in football fever, Nepal is no exception. Although Nepal could not secure a place in the tournament, excitement among Nepali fans is soaring. Many are even travelling to North America to witness the event live, while millions more are following it from home, passionately supporting their favourite teams.

Amid this global celebration, former captains and senior figures of Nepali football have shared their views, memories, and predictions about the World Cup.

Former ANFA president and ex-captain Ganesh Thapa will be watching the tournament from home. A long-time admirer of Argentina since 1982, Thapa remains confident that Argentina can go all the way once again.

He, however, adds a personal twist to his support. While Argentina remains his first choice, he hopes Portugal succeeds if Argentina fails—largely because this could be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup appearance. Thapa believes traditional powerhouses such as Brazil, France, Germany, England, Spain, Argentina, and Portugal remain strong contenders for the title.

Former Nepal national team goalkeeper Upendra Man Singh, who represented Nepal for over a decade, continues to support Germany. Despite Germany’s inconsistent form in recent years, he remains optimistic about their chances this time. He plans to watch the matches from home, citing late-night kick-off times as the reason for avoiding public screenings.

One of Nepal’s most prolific strikers, Hari Khadka, sees this World Cup from a different perspective. Now serving as a technical director at ANFA, he believes the tournament offers valuable learning opportunities. He plans to watch matches with friends in Nepal, combining enjoyment with professional observation. Khadka, who once celebrated Argentina’s triumph in the previous edition, now expresses a similar admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and hopes Portugal can succeed in what may be his final World Cup.

Former defender Rakesh Shrestha, also a former national team captain, has followed World Cup football since 1999. A strong admirer of South American football, he continues to support Argentina this time as well. However, he predicts that either France or Spain could emerge as champions, citing their current strength. Working as a coach for Nepal’s U-16 women’s team, he admits that late-night match schedules are challenging but says he will still follow most matches from home.

Meanwhile, former captain Anil Gurung had initially planned to travel to the United States to watch the World Cup live. However, due to commitments with his football academy, he had to cancel the trip. He will instead accompany his academy players to Denmark for a tournament. A long-time supporter of England, Gurung hopes this could finally be their year, though he acknowledges that teams like Argentina, France, the Netherlands, and Germany remain strong contenders.