Highest Prize Money and Foreign Players Highlight Nepal Volleyball League’s Inaugural Season

September 4, Kathmandu – The highly anticipated franchise-based Nepal Volleyball League (NVL) officially kicks off today in Kathmandu, marking the first season of this men’s professional competition. Organized with the aim of advancing Nepali volleyball in a franchise and commercial format, six teams will compete for the title.

Organized by Kedia Group, the inaugural match will feature Sagarmatha Smashers taking on Madhesh Warriors. The game will be held at the Dashrath Rangashala Covered Hall in Tripureshwor and will begin at 4 PM this afternoon.

The second match of the day will see Annapurna Spiker Kings face Karnali Shivraj, starting at 7 PM.

The organizers have announced that all ticket revenue from the first day will be donated to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund to aid flood victims.

The six franchise teams will compete in a single round-robin format. After the league phase, the team finishing first will qualify directly for the final, while the teams placing second and third will contest a playoff to determine the other finalist.

The participating teams in this inaugural season are Sagarmatha Smashers, Madhesh Warriors, Kathmandu Reds, Annapurna Spiker Kings, Karnali Yashvis, and Sudurpashchim Khaptad Falcons.

Record Prize Money Offered

The prize money for the NVL winner will be the highest in the history of Nepali volleyball, adding prestige to this maiden edition. The championship team will be awarded NPR 2 million in cash. The total prize pool for the league is NPR 3.2 million, according to the organizers.

The remaining NPR 1.2 million will be distributed among the runners-up, category awards, and player of the match prizes.

The victorious team will make history as the highest cash prize recipient in Nepali volleyball, competing among the current six teams.

18 Foreign Players From 10 Countries Participate

The inaugural Nepal Volleyball League features a significant presence of reputed foreign players, helping raise the competition’s international profile. A total of 18 foreign players from 10 countries are playing across the six franchise teams.

Historically, Nepali men’s volleyball competitions have typically featured foreign participants mainly from India and Pakistan. However, this league sees participation from a wider range of countries, spanning Asian nations such as Mongolia and Iran, as well as players from Europe and Brazil.

Pakistan contributes the largest contingent with five players, while India and Mongolia have three players each.

Additionally, Iran, Russia, Poland, Belarus, Serbia, Brazil, and Benin each have one player competing in the NVL.

This marks the first time in Nepali men’s volleyball history that such a large number of foreign players and players from 10 different countries have featured in the same tournament.

This presence provides Nepali players an opportunity to compete against international-level talent on home courts.

NVL’s slogan, “A New Flight of Heights,” symbolizes the ambition to elevate Nepali men’s volleyball to a new professional level and foster its development through this league.

Fresh Excitement on Home Courts

With franchise teams, player auctions, the influx of foreign players, and lucrative prize money, the NVL’s first season is eagerly awaited by Nepali volleyball fans. That anticipation will soon end as the competition begins today on home soil.

This tournament promises to usher in a new chapter for Nepali men’s volleyball.

The league features players from the national team as well as foreign stars, alongside emerging talent discovered through the NVL’s talent hunt program. These young players are enthusiastic to share locker rooms and courts with experienced athletes.

Each of the six franchise teams has included at least one player under the age of 19 identified through the talent hunt, offering these young athletes a valuable opportunity to learn from their Nepali and international teammates.