Nepal Premier League 2026 Kicks Off Third Season in Kirtipur

The third season of the Nepal Premier League officially commenced on Monday, October 26, bringing high-stakes Twenty20 cricket action to fans across the country. The tournament runs through November 21, featuring a total of eight franchise teams competing for the prestigious championship title and a grand prize of NPR 15 million.

All matches for the 2026 tournament are being hosted at a single venue, the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. The centralized location allows local and visiting supporters to experience the full schedule of fixtures in a vibrant atmosphere.

The defending champions, Lumbini Lions, opened their title defense against the Sudurpaschim Royals. Both teams are scheduled to face each other once again during the final weekend of the group stage before the tournament transitions into the postseason playoffs.

During the round-robin phase, each of the eight franchises plays a total of seven league games, meeting every other opponent once. Most days of the tournament feature double-header matches, with the first fixture starting at 12:15 p.m. IST and the second game following at 4:15 p.m. IST.

Following the conclusion of the group stage, the top four teams in the points table will advance to the playoff stage, which is set to begin on November 17. The tournament structure follows the traditional Indian Premier League model to determine the ultimate finalists.

In Qualifier 1, the first-place team will face the second-place team, with the winner securing an automatic berth in the championship match. Meanwhile, the third and fourth-place teams will battle in an Eliminator fixture to keep their title hopes alive.

The loser of Qualifier 1 will subsequently play against the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2. The victor of that match will claim the remaining spot in the final, which takes place on November 21 to crown the 2026 Nepal Premier League champions.