India will play an international football friendly match against earthquake-ravaged Nepal on August 31 in Pune, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced on Tuesday.
The AIFF has agreed to play the match as a gesture of support to the quake-damaged country. The match will be held at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune.
Nepal is in the midst of the enormous task of rebuilding the country after the April and May earthquakes and the AIFF decided to do its bit by playing a international football friendly to spread goodwill, an AIFF statement said.
AIFF general secretary Kushal Das hoped the initiative will "provide solace" to the people of the country.
"AIFF have always been a staunch supporter of football in Nepal. They are our neighbours. We felt football will be able to provide some solace to Nepal," he said in a release on Tuesday.
"I need to laud All India Football Federation for being the first nation to bring football back into the veins of the Nepalese people," Shaji Prabhakaran, FIFA's regional development officer for South and Central Asia, said in the release.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app