FIFA Explores New Himalayan Cup With Pakistan Potentially Involved

For Pakistan and its neighbours, a new regional competition could provide more opportunities for international football and player development.

FIFA is reportedly exploring a new tournament tentatively named the FIFA Himalayan Cup, with Pakistan potentially among the participating nations. The proposal was reported by The Edition, citing Nepalese sports platform City Sports Network. No official decision has been announced.

Which countries could participate?

The report identifies Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and Tibet in China as part of the Himalayan region. Bangladesh is also sometimes considered part of the wider Greater Himalayan region.

According to the report, the Maldives and Sri Lanka could also be included despite not being Himalayan nations. However, FIFA has not confirmed which teams would participate, and the tournament's format and schedule remain unknown.

Infantino visits Bangladesh and Bhutan

FIFA President Gianni Infantino visited Bangladesh on 18 October, meeting Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) President Tabith Awal to discuss football development and cooperation.

He then began a two-day visit to Bhutan on 19 October, meeting the country's leadership and football officials. His itinerary included a visit to Changlimithang Stadium, the Bhutan Football Federation headquarters and a grassroots football session involving young players.

The reported tournament discussions came around these engagements, although FIFA has yet to officially announce the competition. Read the FIFA report on his Bangladesh visit and the official update from Bhutan.

Earlier reports of a FIFA-backed SAFF tournament

In August, reports revealed that the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) was in talks with FIFA about a possible FIFA SAFF Cup. SAFF General Secretary Purushottam Kattel said the proposal was still under discussion and had not been formalised.

It remains unclear whether that proposal and the newly reported Himalayan Cup idea are connected.If introduced, the tournament could be a welcome boost for South Asian football, giving national teams more opportunities to compete. SAFF has struggled to organise competitions, postponing its senior championship from 2025 to 2026 and shelving its men's and women's U17 tournaments in 2026 due to financial difficulties.