The All Nepal Football Association (Anfa) on Tuesday set September 29 to December 31 date for the Martyrs Memorial ‘A’ Division League which was stalled for the last four seasons.

The executive committee meeting of the football governing body on Tuesday made the decision to hold the 14-team league in a single round robin format at different venues of Kathmandu.

However, the tournament will not see relegation of any team but if any club decides not to participate, they will be demoted to the second tier, informed Anfa.

“As the league is set to be organised during adverse scenario owing to the long-time vacuum, we have decided not to include the provision of relegation. But it will be enforced from next season,” said Anfa spokesperson and member Kiran Rai. The date of the league was proposed by a league committee coordinated by former Nepali international Bigyan Raj Sharma. The meeting also assigned the Committee to prepare tournament schedule and regulations within 45 days.

The ‘A’ Division League, backbone of domestic football, was stalled for the last four seasons due to internal Anfa wrangling and power struggle between the now-elected President Karma Tsering Sherpa and former head Ganesh Thapa, who was banned by Fifa for 10 years on corruption charges. Anfa did incorporate clubs in the league for 2014-15 season, the tournament ran as National League featuring nine teams—four district and five ‘A’ division teams.

The top-tier league will feature Three Star Club, Manang Marshyangdi Club, Nepal Police Club, Nepal Armed Police Force Club, Tribhuvan Army Club, Jawalakhel Youth Club, Friends’ Club, Sankata Club, Machhindra Club, Saraswati Youth Club, Chyasal Youth Club, New Road Team, Brigade Boys and Himalayan Sherpa Club.

The meeting has directed the League Committee to prepare the structure of National League before the next executive committee meeting. The football governing body also decided to participate in 10 international tournaments in 2018 including the age-group and men’s and women’s events. Anfa also plans to involve national men’s team in friendly match in the first week of August to prepare for Asian Games and Saff Championship.

Anfa said that Nepal will host AFC U-16 Women’s Qualifiers on September 15-23, Saff U-15 Boys’ Championships on November 8-17 and Women Saff Championships on December 14-23.