Nepal Cricket Stadium Tracker: Every Ground, Status, Capacity and Floodlights (2026)
This page tracks every major cricket stadium in Nepal in one table. If you follow Nepal cricket from the US, it answers three questions fast: where the team plays, which ground has lights, and what is still only a plan.
Short answer (as of 2 November 2026):
- Open and floodlit: only the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. It is hosting Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 3.
- Under construction: Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Bharatpur, about 59% done in July 2026.
- Announced: a new Mulpani stadium, Fapla in Dhangadhi, Girija Prasad Koirala in Biratnagar, and eight new stadiums in cities not yet named.
I update this page when a milestone lands. Each row has a status, the date of the figure, and a source. Status uses three words only: Announced (planned or approved, no real building yet), Under construction, and Open to the public (matches are played there now).
The tracker
| Stadium | Status | Capacity | Floodlights | Last milestone | Source (date) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur (Kathmandu) | Open to the public | About 10,000 now; 30,000 planned after phase two | Yes. 6 towers, installed October 2025 | Final upgrades (toilets, access, new structures) before NPL Season 3, which started October 26, 2026 | Kathmandu Post, Oct 7, 2026 |
| Mulpani International Cricket Ground (upper), Kathmandu | Open to the public | About 4,000 (Wikipedia) | None reported | Owned by the National Sports Council, not CAN; no stadium works reported | Kathmandu Post, Jan 3, 2026 |
| Lower Mulpani Cricket Ground, Kathmandu | Open to the public | Not published | None reported | Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) asked for ownership so it can build a proper stadium with private investors | Kathmandu Post, Jan 3, 2026 |
| Mulpani Cricket Stadium and Academy (new stadium) | Announced | 25,000 planned (Wikipedia) | Not yet | FY 2026/27 budget: design to be reviewed and an investment plan prepared | Himalayan Times, May 29, 2026 |
| Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium, Bharatpur (Chitwan) | Under construction | 16,000 planned | Not reported | About 59% physical progress (41% left); parapet, field and finishing remain | Ekantipur, Jul 23, 2026 |
| Pokhara International Cricket Stadium | Open to the public | 5,000+ now; 18,000 planned (Wikipedia) | None reported | Hosted four Bhutan practice matches, Sep 27 to Oct 1, 2026 | Sportsdunia, Sep 22, 2026 |
| Fapla International Cricket Stadium, Dhangadhi (Kailali) | Announced | Not confirmed | Planned | Detailed project report and environmental study approved; waiting for budget. The budget names Fapla for a design and investment review. | Ekantipur, Apr 24, 2026 |
| Dhangadhi Oval (private), Dhangadhi | Under construction | Not published | Not published | Built with private investment; target was to start operating from April 2026. No later update found. | Ekantipur, Feb 3, 2026 |
| Girija Prasad Koirala Cricket Stadium, Biratnagar (Morang) | Announced | Not published | Not yet | FY 2026/27 budget: design to be reviewed and an investment plan prepared | Himalayan Times, May 29, 2026 |
| Eight new floodlit stadiums (cities not named) | Announced | At least 8,000 each | Planned | The process has "moved forward"; target three years | Ekantipur, Oct 26, 2026 |
Notes on the numbers
- TU capacity: Himal Press (October 2025) says the first-phase stands seat 10,000 and phase two takes it to 30,000. Wikipedia lists 13,000 now. I used the news report.
- Gautam Buddha progress: Ekantipur gave 50% physical and about 45% financial progress in April 2026. Its July 2026 headline says 41% of the work was left. Wikipedia gives about 60% for August 2026 and a final deadline of January 6, 2027, but cites no source for the deadline.
- Gautam Buddha capacity: Ekantipur (July 2026) says 16,000 spectators. Wikipedia lists 30,000. They may describe different phases.
- The eight new stadiums: The Himalayan Times budget story (May 2026) says eight modern cricket stadiums in five years, and separately says 10 stadiums with 8,000 seats will get floodlights in three years. Ekantipur (October 2026) says eight floodlit cricket stadiums in three years. The two do not match, so treat the timeline as open.
What this means if you live in the US
- If you are flying home to watch a match, plan for Kirtipur. It is the only ground with lights and the NPL home ground. It is inside the Kathmandu Valley, so you do not need a domestic flight.
- Night games are new. The first official floodlit match in Nepal was in November 2025. Evening NPL matches now start at 5 pm Nepal time, which is early morning on the US East Coast. See how to watch Nepal cricket from the US for a time-zone table.
- Bharatpur is the next one to watch. If it finishes, Chitwan gets a 16,000-seat ground on the same road many families take to the Terai. Road changes on that route are in the Nepal megaprojects tracker.
- "Announced" is not "built". Fapla, the new Mulpani stadium and Biratnagar have appeared in budgets before. Wait for a contract and site work before you plan a trip around them.
Going home for a family event in cricket season? Our Nepal wedding cost from the US post covers the trip budget.
Sources
- TU ground: Ekantipur, all 6 floodlight towers installed (Oct 19, 2025); Ekantipur, first official floodlit match (Nov 18, 2025); Himal Press, master plan and capacity (Oct 17, 2025); Kathmandu Post, upgrades before NPL Season 3 (Oct 7, 2026).
- Mulpani and TU lease: Kathmandu Post (Jan 3, 2026).
- Budget: Himalayan Times, FY 2026/27 sports budget (May 29, 2026); Ekantipur, eight floodlit stadiums (Oct 26, 2026).
- Bharatpur: Ekantipur (Apr 19, 2026); Ekantipur (Jul 23, 2026); Wikipedia.
- Fapla and Dhangadhi Oval: Ekantipur (Apr 24, 2026); Ekantipur (Feb 3, 2026).
- Pokhara: Sportsdunia, Bhutan tour (Sep 2026).
- Capacities marked Wikipedia: List of cricket grounds in Nepal, read November 2, 2026.
FAQ
Which cricket stadium in Nepal has floodlights?
The Tribhuvan University (TU) International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. All six floodlight towers were installed in October 2025, and Nepal played its first official cricket match under floodlights there in November 2025. No other international ground in Nepal has reported working floodlights as of November 2026.
Where is the Nepal Premier League 2026 played?
At the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. Season 3 runs from October 26 to November 21, 2026.
Is the Mulpani cricket stadium finished?
No. The Mulpani grounds host matches, but the full stadium is not built. The FY 2026/27 national budget (May 2026) said the government will review the Mulpani Cricket Stadium design and prepare an investment plan.
How much of the Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Bharatpur is complete?
Ekantipur reported 50% physical progress in April 2026. In July 2026 it reported that 41% of the work was still left, which means about 59% done. Parapet, field and finishing work remain. The planned capacity in that report is 16,000 spectators.
What is the TU cricket ground capacity?
Sources disagree. An October 2025 report on the master plan says the first-phase stands seat about 10,000 and phase two would raise it to 30,000. Wikipedia lists 13,000 now. Treat 10,000 to 13,000 as the current range.
Is Nepal building new cricket stadiums?
Yes, on paper. The FY 2026/27 budget plans modern cricket stadiums in eight major cities. Reports differ on the timeline: The Himalayan Times (May 2026) says within five years, and Ekantipur (October 2026) quotes a target of three years for floodlit stadiums of at least 8,000 seats. The cities were not named.
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