NPL 2026 Opening Match Live: Lumbini v Sudurpaschim
The Season 3 opener live from Kirtipur: defending champions Lumbini Lions against Sudurpaschim Royals, the Season 2 final rematch, on Monday 26 October at 5:00 PM NST. The TV channel in Nepal, the NetTV stream worldwide and the start time in your country.
Season window: October 26–November 21, 2026 · Reviewed 24 October 2026
The NPL 2026 opening match live from Kirtipur is the fixture last season ended with: Lumbini Lions against Sudurpaschim Royals, a rematch of the Season 2 final, at the TU International Cricket Ground on Monday 26 October. The first ball is at 5:00 PM Nepal time. In Nepal the match is on Himalaya Sports TV; everywhere else in the world it streams on NetTV, the tournament's worldwide OTT partner.
This page settles the opener only: the start time in the main viewing countries, the NetTV pass that covers it (Rs 400 in Nepal), the free live score route, and the position on an opening ceremony, which has not been announced. The other 31 matches and every country's viewing details sit in the where-to-watch hub.
Quick answer
- Match: Lumbini Lions v Sudurpaschim Royals, Match 1 of NPL Season 3 — Monday 26 October 2026, 5:00 PM NST, TU Ground, Kirtipur.
- TV in Nepal: Himalaya Sports (Himalaya Television Network), live.
- Stream: NetTV worldwide — Nepal season pass Rs 400 covers all 32 matches.
- Free: ball-by-ball live scores and post-match highlights.
- Tickets: through eSewa, if you are going to the ground.
NPL 2026 Opening Match: Lumbini Lions v Sudurpaschim Royals
Season 3 of the Nepal Premier League starts the way Season 2 finished. On 13 December 2025, Lumbini bowled Sudurpaschim out for 85 in the final and chased the runs in nine overs to win their first title. The new season sends the same two teams out first: Match 1, Monday 26 October 2026, a single evening game at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, starting at 5:00 PM NST.
Rohit Kumar Paudel captains the champions. Dipendra Singh Airee captains the Royals, who have lost both finals the league has staged and still own its best league record, 14 wins from 18 matches. The match page carries the scorecard and ball-by-ball score once play starts. The preview tells the story of the fixture, and our prediction and predicted playing XIs for the opener are on the site as well.
Watch the Opener on TV in Nepal: Himalaya Sports
Inside Nepal, the opening match is on Himalaya Sports, the sports channel of the Himalaya Television Network, which bought the Season 3 linear television rights for Rs 14.64 crore in the September awards. The channel carries all 32 matches of the season, the opener included, on cable and DTH services across the country.
No opening ceremony has been announced by the league, and no separate ceremony broadcast exists to plan around (as of 24 October 2026). The evening is built around the match itself: the toss, the first ball at 5:00 PM, and a full game that runs close to three and a half hours under lights.
Stream the NPL 2026 Opening Match Live on NetTV
Outside Nepal, and for anyone in Nepal who prefers a stream, NetTV is the official route. NetTV took the worldwide OTT rights for Season 3 in the same September awards (Rs 18.04 crore), and its app and web platform carry every match of the tournament, the opener included, live.
The Nepal season pass costs Rs 400 and covers all 32 matches. Published international tiers include Rs 600 for the Middle East and US$10 for the USA, Europe, Australia, Japan, Korea and Canada. Three terms from the pass listings are worth knowing before you pay: the pass is a separate purchase on top of any ordinary NetTV subscription, the coupons are country-locked and non-refundable, and the pass does not run on Smart TVs or set-top boxes, so plan to watch through the app or the web player on a phone, tablet or computer. Passes are also sold through eSewa, the tournament's ticketing partner.
Opening Match Start Times by Country
The opener is an evening match in Nepal, which makes it afternoon viewing across South Asia and the Gulf, a late-morning start in the United Kingdom and an early morning one on the US East Coast. Every time below is for Monday 26 October.
| Country | Local time |
|---|---|
| Nepal | 5:00 PM NST |
| India | 4:45 PM IST |
| Sri Lanka | 4:45 PM SLST |
| Pakistan | 4:15 PM PKT |
| Bangladesh | 5:15 PM BST |
| Thailand | 6:15 PM ICT |
| UAE | 3:15 PM GST |
| Qatar | 2:15 PM AST |
| United Kingdom | 11:15 AM GMT |
| USA (New York) | 7:15 AM ET |
| Australia (Sydney) | 10:15 PM AEDT |
For any other country, the season's slots are converted country by country in the country guides, and the full fixture list, including the 12:30 PM day slot that starts on 27 October, is on the schedule page.
Tickets and Free Options for the Opener
Going to the ground is still an option for the opener: tickets are sold through eSewa, and the tickets page tracks prices and availability for the Kirtipur matches. All 32 games of the season are at this one ground, so every plan for the tournament starts with the same venue.
If you cannot watch the stream, the free routes still cover the game properly. The live scores page follows every ball of the opener with wickets, run rates and partnerships, and the videos page posts the highlights after the match. Neither needs an account or a payment.
Frequently asked questions
When is the NPL 2026 opener?
Monday 26 October 2026. Lumbini Lions play Sudurpaschim Royals in Match 1 of Season 3 at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, with the first ball at 5:00 PM NST.
Which channel shows the NPL 2026 opening match?
Himalaya Sports, on the Himalaya Television Network, shows the opener in Nepal. Outside Nepal there is no TV channel carrying it: the match streams on NetTV, the worldwide OTT rights holder for Season 3.
What time does the opener start in India, the UK and the USA?
India 4:45 PM IST, the United Kingdom 11:15 AM GMT and New York 7:15 AM ET, all on Monday 26 October. The full country-by-country table is on this page.
Is there an opening ceremony?
No opening ceremony has been announced by the league (as of 24 October 2026). The season begins with the match itself: Lumbini Lions v Sudurpaschim Royals at 5:00 PM NST in Kirtipur.
Conclusion
The season starts with its best story: the champions against the team they beat in the final, at the only ground the tournament uses. In Nepal the opener is on Himalaya Sports; everywhere else the NetTV pass (Rs 400 in Nepal) carries it and the 31 matches that follow. Set the pass up before Monday evening, keep the live score open if you are away from a screen, and use the where-to-watch hub for the rest of the season's viewing details.
Comments