2026 Nepal Kabaddi League

2026 Nepal Kabaddi League
Tournament information
LocationKathmandu, Nepal
Dates5 June 2026–19 June 2026
AdministratorsAll Nepal Kabaddi Association (ANKA) and Astronix Management
Tournament
format(s)
Round-robin and Playoffs
HostNepal Nepal
VenueN.S.C. Covered Hall, Kathmandu
Teams6

The 2026 Nepal Kabaddi League (NKL) will be the second season of the Nepal Kabaddi League. Organized by Astronix Management, the tournament is scheduled to be held from 5 June to 19 June 2026[1][2] at the National Sports Council Covered Hall in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu.[3][4]

Six franchise teams representing different cities of Nepal: Kathmandu, Pokhara, Dhangadhi, Biratnagar, Butwal, and Janakpur, are competing in a round-robin format followed by playoffs.[5][6][7]

Janakpur Knights are the defending champions.[8]

Teams

On 28 March 2026, the league officially announced the franchise owners for the second season.[9][10] Two teams underwent rebranding after change in ownership: Biratnagar Bandits became Biratnagar Bahubali[11] and Himalayan Raiders became Butwal Bulls.[12]

Team City Captain Head Coach
Biratnagar Bahubali Biratnagar, Koshi Province TBD TBD
Dhangadi Wild Cats Dhangadi, Sudurpashchim Province Padam Bahadur Bista TBD
Butwal Bulls Butwal, Lumbini Province Kalyan Bhujel TBD
Janakpur Knights Janakpur, Madhesh Province Ramu Tamatta TBD
Kathmandu Mavricks Kathmandu, Bagmati Province Ghanshyam Roka Magar TBD
Pokhara Lakers Pokhara, Gandaki Province Pradip Mijar TBD

Player Draft

The Nepal Kabaddi League (NKL) Season 2 player draft took place on 26 April 2026 (Baishak 13), marking the official selection event where teams built their squads for the 2026 season.[13][14]

A total of 512 domestic players registered for the draft, a significant increase from the 278 players in the first edition.[15][16] Additionally, over 100 international players from 15 countries, including India, Iran, South Korea, and Poland, registered for the second season.[17][18]

Squads

This following squads were confirmed for the 2026 season.[19]

Biratnagar Bahubali Butwal Bulls Dhanghadi Wild Cats Janakpur Knights Kathmandu Mavericks Pokhara Lakers
Coaches
Players
  • Anku Pun
  • Aditya Chaudhary
  • Ashok Joshi
  • Binod Bohora
  • Bhupendra Bohora
  • Parash Kunwar
  • Rabi Tharu
  • Suraj Bohora
  • Sushil Chunara
  • India Ankit Kumar Rana
  • India Sachin Manipal
  • Sri Lanka Mohamed Roohullah
  • Taiwan Po-Yu Shih
  • Thailand Nopphadon Pontaisong
  • Ashok Thapa Magar
  • Nabin Deuba
  • Ganesh Parki
  • Makdum Khan
  • Prabin Khadka
  • Rahul Aryal
  • Sagar Bista
  • Salman Miya
  • Satish Kumar Kurmi
  • Bangladesh Md Mijanur Rahman
  • India Anuj Saini
  • India Ashish Sahdev Malik
  • South Korea Dong Geon Lee
  • Thailand Pramot Saising
  • Amit Kumar Rajbhar
  • Bijay Mahar
  • Jitendra Awasthi
  • Kumar Lama
  • Prakash Giri
  • Rohit Yadav
  • Sabin Bohaju
  • Santosh Malla
  • Sohail Islam
  • Ujjal Oli
  • India Amit Surender
  • India Rohit Yadav
  • Kenya Helvicsimiyu Wanjala
  • Pakistan Muhammad Jamshaid
  • Thailand Saharat Phetchui
  • Alex Sahani
  • Kamlesh Loniya
  • Karun Rasaili
  • Manab Pithakote Magar
  • Meghraj Giri
  • Raheman Khan
  • Ramu Tamatta
  • Rohit B.K.
  • Sanskar Kumar
  • Bangladesh Md. Rasel Hasan
  • India Aman Dalal
  • India Rohit Kumar
  • Taiwan Xian-Ya Peng
  • Thailand Chayaphon Kamunee
  • Ghanshyam Roka Magar (c)
  • Dipesh Gharti Magar
  • Israr Khan
  • Nageshor Tharu
  • Prahalad Adhikari
  • Raju Babu Yadav
  • Sagar Yadav
  • Sohan Budhamagar
  • Sushil Ram Luhar
  • India Milan Dahiya
  • Kenya Samuelwanjala Wafula
  • South Korea Jonghoon Choi
  • Taiwan Wu Fu-Kai Jin
  • Thailand Tanongsak Srihera
  • Bhuwan Bohora
  • Jiban Blon
  • Kamal B.K.
  • Pramod Kumar Shrestha
  • Rabin Kunwar
  • Sandesh Tamang
  • Sukhdev Rokaya Chhetri
  • Sulav Khatiwada
  • Rupak Bhuju
  • India Hitesh Kadiyan
  • India Mohammad Aamir
  • Kenya James Namaba Kamweti
  • South Korea Jangkun Lee
  • Thailand Rattanakon Yotsungnoen
  • All the players are arranged in alphabetical order.
  • Foreign players are listed with their country flags, sorted alphabetically by country and then by player name within each country.
  • '(c)' stands for Captain.

Venue

All matches will be held at the Nepal Sports Council Covered Hall in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu.[20][21]

Tripureshwor, Kathmandu
National Sports Council Covered Hall
Capacity: 1,500+

Points Table

Pos Team Pld W L T SD Pts Qualification
1 Biratnagar Bahubali    0 0 0       Advance to the Qualifier 1
2 Butwal Bulls    0 0 0      
3 Dhanghadi Wild Cats    0 0 0       Advance to the Eliminator
4 Janakpur Knights    0 0 0      
5 Kathmandu Mavericks    0 0 0      
6 Pokhara Lakers    0 0 0      
First match(es) will be played: 5 June 2026. Source:
Rules for classification:
  • 5 points for a win
  • 3 points for a tied game
  • 1 point for a loss by 7 points or fewer

League Stage

Play-offs

Brackets

Qualifier 1Qualifier 2Final
1Q1W
2Q2W
Q1L
EliminatorEW
3
4

Broadcasting

Astronix Management signed an agreement with Kantipur Max TV HD as the official broadcasting partner. All matches will be telecast live.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "नेपाल कबड्डी लिगको दोस्रो संस्करण जुन ५ देखि" [Nepal Kabaddi League's second season to begin in June 5]. Nepal Views (in Nepali). 16 February 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2: Official Dates & Broadcast Partner Announced!". Neplays TV. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2 to Begin June 5 at Dasharath Stadium". Pardafas. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2 start & final dates announced; Know here". Khel Now. 22 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2 Scheduled to Kick Off in June". Radio Nepal. 17 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "NKL's second season to begin in June". Nepal News. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  7. ↑ RSS (16 February 2026). "Nepal Kabaddi League Season Two Set to Kick Off on Jestha 22". Ratopati (in Nepali). Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "Janakpur Knights Crowned Champions in a Thrilling 45-41 Victory Over Kathmandu Mavericks !!". Nepal Kabaddi League. 1 February 2025. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  9. ↑ "एनकेएलका ६ टोलीको मालिक सार्वजनिक". Hamro Khelkud. 28 March 2026. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  10. ↑ "नेपाल कबड्डी लिग : यी हुन् ६ टिमका मालिक" [Nepal Kabaddi League: These are the owners of the 6 teams]. Online Khabar. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Bhawani Rana buys Biratnagar team". Kantipur. 28 March 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Franchise Owners Announced for Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2". Ratopati. 29 March 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "नेपाल कबड्डी लिग : ६ टिमले लिए ८४ खेलाडी समाचार". Annapurna Post (in Nepali). 27 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "नेपाल कबड्डी लिग : ६ टिमले लिए ८४ खेलाडी". Gorkhapatra (in Nepali). 27 April 2026. Retrieved 28 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "NKL sees surge in player registrations". The Rising Nepal. 14 October 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  16. ↑ "512 Players Registered for the Second Edition of Nepal Kabaddi League". Headline Nepal. 13 March 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  17. ↑ "512 players registered for Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2". Nepal News. 13 October 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  18. ↑ "512 Nepali players registered for Nepal Kabaddi League season 2". Kantipur. 13 October 2025. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "नेपाल कबड्डी लिग – ६ टोलीले ८४ खेलाडी किने". Hamro Khelkud. 26 April 2026. Retrieved 27 April 2026.
  20. ↑ RSS (16 February 2026). "नेपाल कबड्डी लिग सिजन २ जुन ५ देखि दशरथ रङ्गशालामा" [Nepal Kabaddi League Season 2 starts from June 2 in Dasharath Rangasala]. Ratopati (in Nepali). Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  21. ↑ "NKL's second season to begin in June". ENews Polar. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
  22. ↑ "The second Kabaddi League will be broadcast live on Kantipur Max in Jestha". Kantipur. 16 February 2026. Retrieved 30 March 2026.
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