Nepal is no different to most other countries in the world in terms of the popularity of football. The Nepal National Football Team is by far the most popular team in the country and has been competing internationally with mixed results.

However, football is not the only popular sport. Cricket is also gaining ground in Nepal when it comes to popularity and sheer crowd pull. The National Cricket Academy was established in January 2013, which provides their players with a base for continuous training in preparation for their upcoming competitions both locally and internationally. The greatest achievement so far for the Nepalese national cricket team was qualifying for the 2014 ICC World T20 held in Bangladesh.

"Nepal's sporting culture reflects the country's remarkable diversity, from traditional games like Dandi Biyo played in rural villages to modern cricket academies preparing athletes for international competition. The growth of cricket infrastructure since 2013 demonstrates how strategic investment can transform a nation's sporting landscape."
— Robert Wood, founder of Topend Sports

Nepal has participated in several Olympics, but has never won any medal in any event. The Nepal Cricket team has never won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. In fact, the team were eliminated at the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup after suffering three consecutive defeats in the group stage of the competition.

Popular Sports of Nepal

Nepal has a diverse sporting landscape with both modern and traditional sports gaining significant followings:

  • Football (Soccer) - The most popular sport in Nepal
  • Cricket - Rapidly growing with the National Cricket Academy established in 2013
  • Swimming - Represented at the Olympics by Gaurika Singh
  • Volleyball - Popular recreational and competitive sport
  • Tennis - Growing in urban areas
  • Martial Arts - Including boxing and wrestling
  • Running - A natural fit for Nepal's mountainous terrain
  • Weightlifting, Basketball, Shooting, Archery, Badminton, and Golf

Pro Tip: Nepal's mountainous terrain makes it a natural training ground for endurance sports. Many international athletes visit Nepal for altitude training, taking advantage of elevations that can exceed 5,000 metres above sea level.

Traditional or Regional Sports of Nepal

Nepal has a rich tradition of indigenous sports that continue to be played alongside modern sports:

  • Dandi Biyo - The national game of Nepal, played using two sticks. Similar to Gilli-Danda in other South Asian countries, it is deeply rooted in Nepali rural culture.
  • Kho-Kho - A popular team sport where the team that takes the lesser time to tag all the opponent players wins the game.
  • Kabaddi - A "raider" enters the opposite team's half to tag opponents without taking a breath. Popular across South Asia.
"Dandi Biyo represents an important part of Nepal's sporting heritage. As a national game, it connects modern Nepali society to centuries of traditional play. The preservation of indigenous sports like Dandi Biyo, Kho-Kho, and Kabaddi alongside the growth of football and cricket creates a uniquely diverse sporting culture."
— According to sports science expert Robert Wood

Nepal Sporting Success

Despite being a small nation, Nepal has achieved notable success in regional sporting competitions:

  • 2016 South Asian Games (India) - Nepal won the gold medal in men's football, beating host nation India 2-1 in a historic victory.
  • 2019 South Asian Games - Nepal ranked second overall with an impressive 206 medals in total (51 gold, 60 silver, 95 bronze).

2019 South Asian Games Medal Tally

Nepal finished second overall at the 2019 South Asian Games with 206 medals - 51 gold, 60 silver, and 95 bronze - demonstrating the country's growing strength across multiple sporting disciplines.

Great Athletes from Nepal

Nepal has produced athletes who have represented the nation with distinction on the international stage:

  • Gaurika Singh (Swimming) - The youngest athlete at the Rio 2016 Olympics, aged just 13 years and 255 days, competing in the 100m backstroke.
  • Paras Khadka (Cricket) - Former captain of the Nepal national cricket team who led the squad through a historic period of growth.
  • Apa Sherpa (Mountaineering) - Holds the record for the most Everest summits, reaching the peak 21 times.
  • Pasang Lhamu (Mountaineering) - The first Nepali woman to summit Mount Everest in 1993, considered a national hero.
  • Sharad Vesawkar (Cricket) - A key player in Nepal's early international cricket campaigns.
"Nepal's mountaineering tradition has produced athletes of extraordinary endurance and determination. Apa Sherpa's 21 Everest summits represent a level of sustained physical achievement that has few parallels in any sport. These mountaineers have put Nepal on the world sporting map in a way that few other nations can claim."
— Robert J. Wood, PhD, Founder of Topend Sports

Nepal Sports Trivia

  • Tejbir Bura, a Nepali national, won an Olympic gold medal in mixed alpinism at the 1924 Winter Olympics for his role as a member of the 1922 Everest Expedition. However, as he was part of a mixed team, the medal was not officially awarded to Nepal.
  • The youngest athlete at the Rio 2016 Olympics was 100m backstroke swimmer Gaurika Singh of Nepal, aged 13 years and 255 days.
  • The Nepal men's national cricket team demolished several T20I batting records during a 2023 Asian Games match against Mongolia at Hangzhou, including the highest total (314/3), fastest 50 (Dipendra Singh Airee, 9 balls) and fastest 100 (Kushal Malla, 34 balls).

Pro Tip: If you visit Nepal, catch a football match at Dasarath Stadium in Kathmandu - the largest stadium in the country. The atmosphere during national team matches, especially against regional rivals like India, is electric.

Nepal at Major Events

Nepal maintains participation at major international sporting events:

Upcoming Sporting Events in Nepal

  • 2026 Nepal Tri-Nation Series - Scheduled to be held between March 10-22, 2026.

Annual Sporting Events Held in Nepal

  • The Rato Machhendranath Jatra - Held between April and May of every year in Nepal, combining religious festival traditions with athletic competitions.
  • The Dashain Festival - Held around September or October of every year, featuring traditional sporting activities.
  • The Indra Jatra - Held around September of every year in Nepal, a festival with cultural and sporting elements.

Sporting Facilities in Nepal

  • Dasarath Stadium - A multi-purpose stadium in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu. It is the biggest stadium in Nepal, serving as the home ground for national football matches.
  • National Cricket Academy - Established in January 2013 to provide continuous training for Nepal's cricket players.

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