KATHMANDU: The England C Team will take on the Nepal National Team this summer in a friendly fixture at the EBB Stadium which will mark the end of a week-long ‘festival of football’ aiming to celebrate diversity.
The fixture will take place on Monday 25 May 2020 at The EBB Stadium – home of Aldershot Town and within an area that is home to nearly 10,000 Nepalese people.
The match day will also include stalls hosted by various organizations, including the Hampshire FA, Army FA, Sahara UK, and the UK Nepal Friendship Society, who will provide guidance to those attending on how to get involved in the game across various levels.
The Nepal national team will visit England between 21-27 May with both teams visiting primary schools within the area during the week, as well as hosting open training sessions for the local community.
On Sunday 24 May – the day before the fixture – the Gurkha Cup will be held at the Recreation Ground which will include participation from the Gurkha Army as well as several local teams.
The FA launched the second phase of its Bringing Opportunities to Communities plan, which runs until 2021 and aims to raise awareness of pathways into football for Asian communities and to embed Asian inclusion across grassroots football.
Laurence Jones, The FA’s Head of National League Game System, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity for both national associations to show that football truly is for all.
Asian inclusion and celebrating diversity more widely are a key focus for The FA and, having recently met with the President and Senior Officials of the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), and the Nepali Minister for Youth and Sport, we share their excitement for this event. We’re looking forward to sharing this experience with the local community in Aldershot.”
All Nepal Football Association President Karma Tsering Sherpa added: “We are pleased to share this partnership with The FA in order to develop our ties for the promotion and development of football. For us, it’s a good opportunity.”
Aldershot Town Chairman Shahid Azeem also said: “We are really pleased and honored to host the official match between England C and Nepal at The EBB Stadium. This match is a reward for all the hard work and commitment to the football club, the town, Sahara UK and Rushmoor Borough council have shown along with the local community.
He added, “We hope that this match will show the Nepalese community that the club is inclusive to all and hopefully we’ll see more of the Nepali community watching Aldershot Town in the future.”
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