National Volleyball in Nepal: A Blend of Enthusiasm and Challenges

Nepal had a limited presence in international volleyball competitions in the year 2082 BS (2025-2026 AD). The Nepal Police Club secured third place in the CAVA Women’s Club Volleyball, while Help Nepal won the bronze medal in the CAVA Men’s Club Volleyball. Kathmandu, 30th Chaitra.

Volleyball is Nepal’s national sport. While many know this fact, some are unaware. Despite nearly a decade since its declaration as the national sport, volleyball has yet to make significant progress to proudly uphold its identity as Nepal’s national sport. Therefore, the year 2082 BS did not bring any significant or ‘wow’ moments for volleyball. However, the sport remained active on the courts. Although Nepal’s international participation was limited and primarily confined to competitions, domestic tournaments continued consistently.

The Nepal Volleyball Association organized the 9th NVA Volleyball Championship, the Franchise Women’s Volleyball League (WVL), the renowned Tiger Cup volleyball tournament held in Pokhara, and other national-level competitions. The PM Cup NVA League, initially scheduled for Chaitra 2082 BS featuring the top 8 men’s and 6 women’s teams selected from the 9th NVA Championship, was postponed to Baishakh 2083 BS due to technical reasons.

Nepal’s participation in international competitions was minimal in 2082 BS. Its international engagement was mainly restricted to events organized by the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA). In Ashoj, Nepal’s men’s team participated in the CAVA Men’s Volleyball Cup held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This tournament ran from October 22 to 28, in which Nepal finished fifth out of six teams. The team, including several new players, demonstrated a lack of experience in international play.

Similarly, in Magh, Nepal Police Club took part in the CAVA Women’s Club Volleyball tournament held in the Maldives. As the defending champion, Nepal Police Club was unable to reach the finals this time. After losing in the semifinals, they won the third-place match against a Sri Lankan club, securing the bronze medal.

In Shrawan, Help Nepal also earned the third place, winning the bronze medal in the CAVA Men’s Club Volleyball held in the Maldives. In this competition involving six clubs, Help Nepal won four matches and lost one but missed the finals due to the set ratio. Jitendra Bahadur Chand, President of Nepal Volleyball Association, noted that this bronze medal was the second international medal won by any Nepalese volleyball team on foreign soil. Previously, in 2017, Nepal’s men’s national team earned a bronze medal at the CAVA Central Zone tournament held in the Maldives.