The 2026 FIFA World Cup final is just a few days away. Nepal, despite not being able to go even close to the world stage, has a great football fan following. The World Cup is a culture to celebrate together for Nepalis. But have you ever wondered what the World Cup fever was like 20 or 30 years back in Nepal? Well, Arvin Ghimire of ApEx has asked people who are in their 40s or above to identify individual experiences and memories they have experienced or created. Excerpts:
Arun Joshi, 52
My first world cup experience was in 1986 when Diego Maradona debuted his best performance, captivating me in his ability to dribble and score goals. Back then I did not have a television, leading me to visit my friends home when possible, while otherwise we’d have conversations about their match in school. But to be honest, I have not been able to watch some of the current world cup matches due to hectic schedules and timing.
Sahishnu Poudyal, 42
While back then I did not pay much attention to the specific matches in the World Cup, it has become a catalyst for me in reviving so sweet memories. As a ritual,we used to eat popcorn and roasted chicken wherever an important match was ongoing. What's funny is despite us being completely full before the match started, all the food used to disappear just minutes into the game. The world cup also reminds me of when my 3-year old nephew could not stop cheering for a team with the fiercest energy I’ve ever seen.
Niranjan Thapa, 45
Having a television at home was a great advantage as I’ve watched the world cup since childhood. I used to watch all the games played by Argentina, with special focus going towards my favorite player Messi. Back then I enjoyed watching such events with my family members and community, however as everyone started to have access to personal devices, I’ve observed increased isolation than before. Which has reduced my excitement, with further difficulty introduced by my busy schedule.
Hikmat Maharjan, 68
Maradona’s excellent ball control which led to an incredible assist is something I’ll never forget. The world cup has a special place for me as it has even managed to make me cry when Argentina lost the 1990 world cup. Furthermore, I have to add how the older games used to feel more competitive and skilled then the current matches, which seems to lack some skills in ball control, though I can understand this as players being more careful to avoid any injuries.
Ganga Ghimire, 42
The world cup always brings a breeze of freshness and relief in our daily environment, posing as a barrier for stress and tension, I have in my daily life. But, it’s not the matches that do it for me, it’s the lively environment and nostalgic memories that comes with it. I can never forget the moment when Neymar injured his back live on TV.
Tara Mani Rai, 45
To give a bit of background information, I only saw my first vehicle in Grade 8, I came from a really remote village and only started to watch the world cup after moving into a city area, on my neighbours black and white television. The event is like a reminder for me of how an unimaginable development my village has gone through from without having access to roads, to televisions in each household, with the ability to watch the world cup.
Shyam Maharjan, 63
How can I forget the “Hand of God” moment that happened live as I was watching the match in a public gathering. As I’m an avid sports viewer, I’m always impressed by the world cup for facing off some of the greatest players in the same championship, never failing to create excitement within me. I’m also really impressed by the improvements other counties are going through right now, which sadly did not happen back in the days.
Kamala Koirala, 64
The world cup reminds me of my son who is always excited about the event, and avidly collects different jerseys as multiple years goes by. The world cup is the time when I observe a lively environment where everyone gets excited about small moments along with a flood of laughter and cheering, which is always heartwarming.
Gopal Gurung, 55
I’ve watched the world cup since the victory of Argentina in 1986, with a lasting memory of members from our community, surrounding our television never disappearing. I am an avid world cup enthusiast, and have been watching games played by Japan for a long time, as it is only my favorite team. Sadly, I have observed that the sportsmanship that was present during the 80s slowly disappears as individual players are growingly influenced by monetary incentives rather than creating a competitive and enjoyable environment, which is what sports is all about.
Suniti Adhikari, 42
I first watched the World Cup with my brothers and have since associated it with an opportunity to spend plenty of family time enjoying the sport as it is, filled with the excitement of ups and downs as the matches escalate with tension. However, I have created a disliking for the practice of demeaning the losing team and their fans which creates an unhealthy atmosphere, for a sport made to spread the opposite.
Dhurba Poudyal, 74
One of my first memories of the world cup starts off with me and my family surrounding our radio, waiting for the commentator to announce a goal. The event is one of the most interesting periods, where my multiple favorite players and teams face off against each other in a brilliant competitive manner. Seeing the consistency of teams such as Spain, Argentina, France and Germany who are capable of dominating the competition through multiple generations is just fascinating to me.
Ram Chandra Tandukar, 60
I only watched a few world cups before, supporting Argentina and Germany. The vibes were similar to the one that is present now, where people had frequent conversations about the ongoing matches. Whereas for match rituals, I did not have much where, we'd watch matches pretty stoically.
