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Nepal’s top-tier football competition, the Sahid Smarak A-Division League, will not begin as scheduled. The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) announced on Tuesday that the league will not be held in a home-and-away format this season.

“Based on suggestions from the clubs, we have decided not to organize the league in a home-and-away format this time. It may be implemented from the next season,” said ANFA General Secretary Kiran Rai during a press conference.

He added that ANFA will hold further discussions with the clubs after the Chhath festival. “Both the National League and A-Division fall under the top-tier structure. We will decide which one to organize and how after further consultations,” Rai said.

The 2022/23 season of the league concluded on 6 June 2023, and no new season has started since. Church Boys United were the last A-Division League champions.

With no domestic league taking place, several Nepali footballers have joined foreign clubs. National team captain Kiran Chemjong and forward Anjan Bista are currently playing in the Bangladeshi league, along with other Nepali players.

Portugal were forced to delay punching their World Cup ticket after being held to a 2-2 home draw by Hungary in Tuesday's qualifier as Dominik Szoboszlai struck a stoppage-time equaliser after two goals from Cristiano Ronaldo had put the hosts ahead, Reuters reported.

Portugal could have sealed a place at next year's finals in the U.S., Canada and Mexico with a victory that would have clinched top spot in Group F.

But they will now have to wait until November, sitting on 10 points from four matches, five ahead of Hungary, with both teams having two games remaining. Ireland are third with four points, according to Reuters.

Senegal secured a runaway 4-0 victory over neighbours Mauritania to finish top of their qualifying group and reach next year's World Cup finals, Reuters reported.

Senegal were quarter-finalists in 2002 and also competed at the 2018 and 2022 World Cup finals.

England booked their place in next year's World Cup finals as captain Harry Kane scored twice in a 5-0 romp away to Latvia on Tuesday to ensure they will win qualifying Group K, Reuters reported.

There has been little doubt throughout the campaign that England would reach a ninth successive major tournament but now they can officially start rubber-stamping their plans.

It took England 25 minutes to break the deadlock in the tree-lined Daugava Stadium with Anthony Gordon cutting in from the left to fire past Latvia goalkeeper Krisjanis Zviedris, according to Reuters.