Kathmandu, Aug. 14 -- Division League champions Church Boys United failed to progress to the group stage of the AFC Challenge League after they lost to Bhutan's Paro FC 2-1 in the qualification playoff at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

The country's only international-standard stadium was hosting an international match only days after the Asian Football Confederation deemed it fit for tournaments. Nepal's national team were forced to move their home matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup Qualifications second round to away and neutral venues in March after AFC called the stadium substandard.

The build up to Tuesday's playoff clash was also marred by Japanese football icon Keisuke Honda's comments "this...