# Nepal national under-23 football team

Nepal national under-23 football team, also known as Nepal under-23s or Nepal U23(s), represents Nepal in association football at national and Olympic games and is controlled by ANFA, the governing body for football in Nepal, and the Nepal Olympic Committee.

## History

The team serves as the feeder team for the Nepal national football team squad, accommodating players aged 23 and under. However, up to three senior players may also be selected. Besides this, there are national teams for the Under-20s, Under-17s, and Under-15s. Players who meet the eligibility criteria can participate at various levels, making it possible for one to play for the U-23s, then the senior team, and return to the U-23s again.

## Home stadium

The team's home ground is the Dasarath Rangasala Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium in Tripureswor, Kathmandu, Nepal. Holding 25,000 spectators, of which 5,000 seated, it is the biggest stadium in Nepal. It is named after Dashrath Chand, one of the martyrs of Nepal.
Most recently, the stadium was used as a primary venue for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup and the 2013 SAFF Championship, with the Halchowk Stadium hosting some of the matches as well.
Apart from sporting events, the stadium is also used as a music venue for cultural events with Bryan Adams being the most notable act that performed at the site.
Prior to the 2013 SAFF Championship in Nepal, the Dasarath Rangasala underwent heavy renovation that saw several improvements such as the expansion of seats from 20,000 to 25,000.

## Recent results and fixtures

Win  Draw  Lose

### 2021
## Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2022 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification on 17 October 2021.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club |
| 1GK | Arpan Karki | (2000-01-24) 24 January 2000 (age 25) | Nepal Police Club |
| 1GK | Bishal Sunar | (2002-02-09) 9 February 2002 (age 23) | Manang Marshyangdi Club |
| 1GK | Abhishek Baral | (2000-04-09) 9 April 2000 (age 24) | |
| 2DF | Gautam Shrestha | (2000-02-21) 21 February 2000 (age 25) | Nepal Army F.C. |
| 2DF | Rajan Gurung | (2000-04-15) 15 April 2000 (age 24) | APF F.C. |
| 2DF | Shiva Gurung | | |
| 2DF | Randip Poudel | (2002-10-06) 6 October 2002 (age 22) | Brigade Boys Club |
| 2DF | Anil Maharjan | (2001-04-09) 9 April 2001 (age 23) | Friends Club |
| 2DF | Suman Aryal | (2000-01-31) 31 January 2000 (age 25) | Nepal Army F.C. |
| 2DF | Abhishek Limbu | (1999-08-21) 21 August 1999 (age 25) | Chyasal Youth Club |
| 3MF | Nitin Thapa | (2002-02-07) 7 February 2002 (age 23) | Chyasal Youth Club |
| 3MF | Arik Bista | (2000-03-17) 17 March 2000 (age 24) | New Road Team |
| 3MF | Suraj Jeu Thakuri | (2000-12-19) 19 December 2000 (age 24) | Jawalakhel YC |
| 3MF | Ayush Ghalan | (2004-02-21) 21 February 2004 (age 21) | Three Star Club |
| 3MF | Sesehang Aangdembe | (2000-11-03) 3 November 2000 (age 24) | Nepal Army F.C. |
| 3MF | Rajiv Lopchan | (2000-09-10) 10 September 2000 (age 24) | APF F.C. |
| 3MF | Sishir Lekhi | (2002-04-04) 4 April 2002 (age 22) | Brigade Boys Club |
| 3MF | Akash Budha Magar | (2002-02-14) 14 February 2002 (age 23) | Satdobato Youth Club |
| 3MF | Roshan Pahari | (1999-09-13) 13 September 1999 (age 25) | Boys Union Club |
| 4FW | Ritik Kumar Khadka | (2001-04-23) 23 April 2001 (age 23) | Three Star Club |
| 4FW | Manish Dangi | (2001-09-17) 17 September 2001 (age 23) | Machhindra F.C. |
| 4FW | Abhishek Rijal | (2000-01-29) 29 January 2000 (age 25) | Aizawl FC |
| 4FW | Darshan Gurung | (2002-08-20) 20 August 2002 (age 22) | New Road Team |

## Tournament records
### Olympic Games

Summer Olympic Games Record :
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| 1992 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1996 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2000 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2004 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2008 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2012 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter |
| 2016 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2020 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2024 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2028 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | | 0 / 6 | | | | | | |

#### Note

* Olympic football events at U-23 level came into effect during the 1992 Summer Olympics, 2002 Asian Games, and the 2004 South Asian Games.
    *Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
    **Red border color indicates tournament was held on home soil.

### AFC U-23 Championship

| AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship finals record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record | AFC U-23 Championship qualifying record |
| Year | Result | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Result | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 2013 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 4th (Group D) | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | −3 |
| 2016 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 5th (Group C) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 17 | −17 |
| 2018 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 4th (Group D) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | −9 |
| 2020 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 4th (Group A) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 8 | −8 |
| 2022 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 4th (Group B) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | −14 |
| 2024 | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Did not enter | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn | Withdrawn |
| 2026 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined |
| Total | 0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2/2 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 35 | −29 |

### Asian Games

| Host/Year | Result | Pts | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD |
| 1966 to 1998 | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team | See Nepal national team |
| 2002 | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew |
| 2006 | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew |
| 2010 | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew | Withdrew |
| 2014 | Round 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 13 | –13 |
| 2018 | Round 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 5 | –4 |
| 2022 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| Total | 2/4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 18 | –17 |

### South Asian Games

| Host/Year | Result | Pts | GP | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD |
| No age bar restriction before 1999, Senior national teams only. ||||||||||
| 2004 | No medal | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 2006 | Bronze | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 4 | +5 |
| 2010 | No medal | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 |
| 2016 | Gold | 9 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 6 | +6 |
| 2019 | Gold | 10 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 |
| 2025 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| Total | - | 31 | 18 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 17 | +14 |

## Honours

* South Asian Games
** Champions (2): 2016, 2019