The inaugural edition of the Xtreme Energy Drink Nepal Volleyball League (NVL) has officially launched at the National Sports Council (NSC) Covered Hall in Tripureshwor, introducing the country’s first franchise-based men’s volleyball tournament.
Organized by the Kedia Group in coordination with the Nepal Volleyball Association (NVA), the tournament features six franchise teams competing for a total prize purse of Rs 3.2 million—the highest prize pool in Nepalese domestic volleyball history. The winning franchise will take home a top prize of Rs 2 million, while the remaining Rs 1.2 million will be distributed among runners-up and individual award recipients.
The participating franchises include the Kathmandu Reds, Sagarmatha Smashers, Madhesh Warriors, Annapurna Spiker Kings, Karnali Shivraj, and Khaptad Falcons. Teams built their rosters through a national player auction and bolstered their lineups with international talent. Under league regulations allowing up to three foreign players per roster, 18 international players representing nine nations—including Pakistan, India, Mongolia, Poland, Belarus, Iran, Russia, and Benin—have joined the league.
Alongside the sporting action, the league unveiled ‘Danfe’ (the Himalayan Monal), Nepal’s national bird, as the tournament’s official mascot to represent the national sport. Competition runs through September 12 in a single round-robin format, with top-seeded teams advancing directly to the play-offs and finals.