It is a widely accepted truth in global football that winning the FIFA World Cup might actually be easier than qualifying for it. No nation understands the grueling reality of the qualifiers better than Italy. Despite being a powerhouse of world football, Italy has failed to cross the qualification hurdle three times in its history—a recurring failure that Italian media has repeatedly labeled as an absolute apocalypse for the country’s football structure.

With just over two weeks remaining before the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup 2026 (co-hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico), it is a tradition to look back at the qualification journeys. Naturally, the question arises: What has Nepal’s World Cup qualification journey looked like? Furthermore, why should Nepal’s path even be mentioned in the same breath as Italy’s?

While there is no direct footballing parallel, the link lies in the leadership. Nepal’s current head coach, Guglielmo Arena, hails from Italy. He follows in the footsteps of his compatriot, Vincenzo Alberto Annese, who was the first-ever Italian coach to manage the Nepali national team and led them during their recent World Cup qualifying matches.

During an extensive conversation during the 2023 SAFF Championship in Bengaluru, India, Vincenzo reflected deeply on Italy’s qualifying heartbreaks.

“For Italian football, there is no pain greater than failing to qualify for the World Cup,” Vincenzo noted. Connecting it to Nepal, he added, “This journey is never easy for anyone—whether it is Italy or Nepal. For a country like Nepal, just participating in and playing these qualifiers is a massive achievement in itself.”

The Four-Decade History: Triumphs and Tribulations

Nepal’s World Cup qualification odyssey began a little over four decades ago. It has been a path defined by extreme hardships, moments of absolute despair, but also a few historic, unforgettable triumphs. Any conversation about Nepal’s footprint in international football is incomplete without examining this qualifying history.

1985: The Historical Debut (1986 Mexico World Cup Qualifiers)

Nepal participated in its very first World Cup qualifier in 1985. This was a golden era for Nepali football, featuring a highly talented generation of players captained by the legendary Rupak Raj Sharma.

A year later, in 1986, television made its way into Nepali households. While owning a TV set was a luxury and not yet common, football fans crowded into the few homes that had one to watch Diego Maradona lead Argentina to World Cup glory in Mexico. This tournament sparked Nepal’s deep, enduring love affair with Argentina—a team that a vast majority of Nepalis still passionately support today, despite no geographical or cultural ties.

On the pitch, Nepal was drawn into a tough group alongside South Korea and Malaysia.

The Historic Match: On March 2, 1985, Nepal played its first-ever qualifying match at the Dasharath Rangasala Stadium under the guidance of renowned coach Joe Kinnear (who later went on to manage English clubs like Nottingham Forest and Newcastle United).
The Result: Nepal lost 2-0 to South Korea, though eyewitnesses from that day still argue that Nepal played exceptionally well and deserved a win. South Korea went on to qualify for the 1986 World Cup (where they shared a group with Argentina in the group stage) and has never missed a World Cup tournament since. Overall, this debut campaign was viewed as highly respectable and encouraging for Nepal.

1989: A Disastrous Campaign (1990 Italy World Cup Qualifiers)

Nepal’s second qualification campaign in 1989, captained by Ganesh Thapa, turned out to be a nightmare. Grouped with South Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore, Nepal was thoroughly outclassed, conceding a staggering 28 goals across six matches without finding any real footing.

1997: Breaking the Goal Drought (1998 France World Cup Qualifiers)

After a long hiatus, Nepal returned to the qualifiers in 1997 under the captaincy of Raju Kaji Shakya. Drawn against Japan, Oman, and Macau, this campaign was decent. Nepal earned its first-ever World Cup qualification point in a -11 draw against Macau. It was also the match where Hari Khadka etched his name into history by scoring Nepal’s first-ever World Cup qualifying goal in the 22nd minute.

2001: The Golden Run (2002 Korea-Japan World Cup Qualifiers)

The 2001 qualifiers remain the most memorable and successful in Nepal’s history. While Nepal suffered expected losses at the hands of Iraq and Kazakhstan, they utterly dominated Macau in back-to-back fixtures:

First match against Macau: 4-1 victory
Second match against Macau: 6-1 victory

This campaign belonged to forward Nirajan Rayamajhi, who became a sensation by scoring a historic hat-trick. He netted an incredible 7 goals in the qualifiers, placing him among the top goal-scorers in the initial round of the Asian qualifiers.

The Dark Era: The Penalty of Withdrawal

Following the highs of 2001, Nepal took a massive step backward. After a disastrous performance in the 2003 Asian Cup Qualifiers, the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), under the leadership of Ganesh Thapa, made the controversial decision to withdraw Nepal from the upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

This is widely regarded as one of the worst administrative decisions in Nepali sports history, as it robbed an entire generation of footballers the opportunity to play on the world stage and resulted in FIFA imposing a financial penalty on Nepal.

The Modern Era: Fluctuation and Resilience

2007: The Transition (2010 South Africa World Cup Qualifiers)

Nepal returned to the qualifiers in 2007, but the campaign was short-lived, consisting of just two knockout matches against Oman, both of which Nepal lost. However, this campaign was significant for two reasons: Nepal was coached by the legendary Shyam Thapa, and it marked the arrival of the first batch of ANFA Academy-produced youth players into the senior national team.

2011: Disaster in Amman, Determination in Kathmandu (2014 Brazil World Cup Qualifiers)

The 2011 campaign was a rollercoaster of extreme emotions. After successfully knocking out Timor-Leste in the first round, Nepal faced a formidable Jordan side.

In the away leg in Jordan, Nepal suffered a humiliating 9-0 defeat. Head coach Graham Roberts remarked after the match that he had never witnessed such a devastating loss in his entire footballing career.
However, in the return leg at the Dasharath Rangasala Stadium, a resilient Nepali side bounced back to secure a historic 1-1 draw against the same Jordanian team, highlighted by a memorable goal from Bharat Khawas.

2015: The South Asian Derby (2018 Russia World Cup Qualifiers)

In 2015, Nepal’s sole opponent in the preliminary round was neighboring rivals India. India won one leg, while the other ended in a draw, eliminating Nepal. Ironically, the Indian team was coached by Stephen Constantine, who had previously spent a significant and successful tenure coaching Nepal.

2019: Steady Grounds (2022 Qatar World Cup Qualifiers)

The 2019 qualifiers saw a balanced performance. Facing heavyweights like Australia, Kuwait, Jordan, and Chinese Taipei, Nepal managed to secure two notable and impressive victories against Chinese Taipei.

2023: The Present Cycle (2026 World Cup Qualifiers)

By the time the 2023 qualifiers rolled around, Italian coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese was at the helm. In the first round, Nepal successfully defeated Laos to progress. However, the subsequent round against top-tier opponents UAE, Bahrain, and Yemen proved too difficult, and Nepal could not replicate the desired results. It was a stark reminder that prompted Vincenzo to reiterate his belief: the World Cup qualification path is never easy.

The beautiful thing about global football is that on paper, every country starts with an equal status; whether you are a world superpower or a developing football nation, you must earn your place through the qualifiers. For Nepal, despite the immense challenges and mixed results over the last forty years, participating in the World Cup Qualifiers remains the ultimate proving ground and a massive opportunity for growth.