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Samba ‘craze’ in Australia: ‘I chose to play here because of Nepali football fans!’
Sabitra Bhandari (Samba) (centre) surrounded by fans at the ctrl:cyber pitch in Cranbourne, Melbourne on Sunday, 7 December 2025. Credit: SBS Nepali / Dinita Rishal
Nepali women's national football team captain Sabitra Bhandari is currently down under for the ongoing women's A-League competition. An attacker for New Zealand's Wellington Phoenix, Bhandari, who is popularly known as “Samba” is the first Nepali footballer to play in an A-League. Following the match against Melbourne City FC in their home ground on Sunday, December 7, SBS Nepali spoke to Bhandari about her new sporting chapter with the Nix, challenges as an international athlete and soccer enthusiasm in Australia's Nepali community, including the second generation.
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