She is the all-time highest goal scorer in Nepalese football history and broke record as the highest woman goal scorer in South Asia with 49 goals. She made history by being the first Nepalese player to play and score in European league.[3]
Career
At club level, Bhandari plays for APF Club. Bhandari made the Nepal team for the 2014 South Asian Football Federation Championship and made her international debut against Bhutan, coming off the bench and sealing an 8–0 victory as a 17-year-old.[4] In February 2017 she was invited to play the Maldives women's league.
She became the highest scoring women striker of south Asia at the age of 20.
She scored almost two goals a game during her time in India, leading Sethu FC to winning Indian Women’s League title.[8][9]
Gokulam Kerala FC
Bhandari joined Gokulam Kerala FC for the 2019–2020 season, and eventually won the League championship title and was the league top scorer with 16 goals.
After joining Gokulam Kerala FC again for the 2023 season, she continued her phenomenal prolificacy, managing league top scorer 31 goals, including five hat-tricks, to fire her club to league glory.
This lead her to lifting her third Indian Women’s League trophy.[10]
Hapoel Ra’anana
Bhandari joined Hapoel Ra’anana but the 7 October attack cut her spell short after 5 goals in two games.
En Avant Guingamp
She made her debut on Feb 3rd, 2024 coming as a substitute on 78th minute. She is the first Nepalese player to play and score in European league.
International career
Bhandari represents Nepal at the international level. She participated in and even scored a goal against Bhutan at the 2014 SAFF Women's Championship. She represented the country during the 2016 South Asian Games where she scored two goals against Sri Lanka.[11] She scored the only goal in a friendly victory against Malaysia on 17 December 2016.[12]
Bhandari then played in Nepal's first match of the 2016 SAFF Women's Championship against Bhutan. She scored six goals as Nepal won 8–0 to open the tournament and scored 5 goals against Maldives in the 2nd group match.[13]
^"Bhandari on course of becoming all-time best". kathmandupost.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
^"Nepal's all-time top scorer Sabitra Bhandari 'Samba' features in FIFA.com". The Himalayan Times. 2 June 2020. Archived from the original on 19 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
^Baniya, Sudesh (5 March 2024). "Feeding cattle to breaking barriers: Nepal goal machine Sabitra Bhandari". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 March 2024.
^"Women's Tournament Best Forward". GoalNepal. 3 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^"सावित्रा र अनिता भारत प्रस्थान". deshsanchar.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
^"पहिलो पटक इन्डियन लिग खेल्न जाँदै सावित्रा र अनिता". deshsanchar.com. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
^"भारतमा सावित्रा र अनिता". baahrakhari.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
^Baniya, Sudesh (5 March 2024). "Feeding cattle to breaking barriers: Nepal goal machine Sabitra Bhandari". The Guardian.
^"Bhandari's journey from barefoot dreamer to Nepal dazzler". inside.fifa.com.
^"Bhandari's journey from barefoot dreamer to Nepal dazzler". inside.fifa.com.
^"SAG: Kamala Devi stars in India's title triumph". The Hindu. 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^"Bhandari's goal ensures Nepal victory over Malaysia". The Himalayan Times. 17 December 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^"Sabitra inspired Nepal routs Bhutan". The All Nepal Football Association. 26 December 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
^"Indian Women's League 2023: Gokulam Kerala thrash Kickstart FC 5–0 to win third consecutive title". sportstar.thehindu.com. Chennai: Sportstar. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 22 May 2023.
^"Gokulam Kerala steamroll Kickstart to complete hat-trick of Hero IWL titles". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. 21 May 2023. Archived from the original on 22 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
^"सावित्रालाई उत्कृष्ट महिला खेलाडी अवार्ड". Hamrokhelkud.com. Archived from the original on 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.