Nepal ranks 29th in ISF Football World Cup 2026
Suzhou, CHINA:- Nepal’s U-18 boys’ football team finished in 29th place at the ISF Football World Cup 2026, held in Suzhou, China, from October 17 to 26. After facing tough challenges in the opening matches of the tournament, Nepal secured consecutive victories in their final two games.
Nepal played its group stage matches against Turkey, Hong Kong China, and Chile on October 19, 20, and 21, respectively. In the first match, Nepal was defeated 12–0 by Turkey. In the second match, they lost 6–3 to Hong Kong China, and in the third match, they suffered a 7–1 defeat against Chile.
Following the group stage, Nepal competed in the classification round, facing Ireland on October 22 and Quebec on October 23. In both matches, Nepal was defeated by a margin of 8–0.
On October 24, Nepal secured its first victory in the tournament by defeating India’s second team with a score of 6–3.
In the win against India, Nepal’s striker wearing jersey number 10, Tenzing Sherpa, delivered an outstanding performance by scoring four goals. Additionally, Prashant Menyangbo (jersey number 19) and Krischal Thapa (jersey number 20) each added a goal. Tenzing’s impressive display served as the primary foundation for Nepal’s victory.
Subsequently, on October 25, Nepal secured its second consecutive victory by defeating Haiti 5–3 in a penalty shootout. Tenzing Sherpa, Bhavishya Shah, Sanyug Rai, Izyak Shahi, and Ivan Ratna Tuladhar scored for Nepal during the shootout.
In the boys’ final of the tournament, Croatia won the title by defeating Guinea 4–0 in a penalty shootout. In the girls’ final, the Chinese team ‘China 1’ clinched the title by beating Germany 5–1.
Rajkumar Karki, General Secretary of the Nepal School Sports Federation (NSSF), stated that this tournament has served as a significant opportunity for Nepal to showcase its talent on an international stage, gain competitive experience against athletes from other nations, and learn for future competitions.
