FIFA’s ‘Football for Schools’ program set to launch in Nepal on July 31

KATHMANDU: FIFA’s global initiative Football for Schools is set to be launched in Nepal for the first time, with an official kickoff scheduled for July 31 at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu.

Jointly led by FIFA and UNESCO, the program aims to integrate football into the school education system. Its broader goal is to promote life skills, inclusivity, and a healthy lifestyle among children through sport.

The inaugural event is expected to be both impactful and entertaining, with popular Nepali singer Aastha Raut scheduled to perform a special act. A formal agreement was signed between Raut and the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) to this effect. The deal was inked by ANFA General Secretary Kiran Rai and singer Raut earlier this week.

The initiative is being hailed as a unique blend of sports, education, and entertainment—marking what ANFA describes as a transformative step for grassroots football and school-based physical education in Nepal.

By bringing football into classrooms, Football for Schools aims not just to build sporting talent, but also to foster values like teamwork, discipline, and resilience among young students.