Nepal’s First-Ever Volleyball Player Auction Marks Historic Milestone for Women’s Franchise League

Nepal’s national sport, volleyball, reached a new milestone with the first-ever player auction for a women’s franchise league, organized under the collaboration of the Nepal Volleyball Association and Infinity Dreams. The auction was held on Friday in Kathmandu for the upcoming second season of the Vatsalya Everest Women’s Volleyball League, which will take place in Pokhara from September 5 to 13, 2025 (Bhadra 20–28, 2082 B.S.).

Infinity Dreams had launched the league last year without a player auction, but this year marks a shift towards a more professional structure.

Jitendra Bahadur Chand, President of the Nepal Volleyball Association, called the day historic:

“It’s a special moment for us. This professional step will greatly contribute to the growth of Nepali volleyball.”

The association has signed a seven-year agreement with Infinity to organize the league.

69 Players Auctioned in Three Categories

In the auction, 69 players were listed and categorized into three groups:

• Category A: Base price between NPR 115,000 – 132,500
• Category B: NPR 100,000 – 115,000
• Category C: NPR 50,000 – 57,500

Category A included top talents like:

• Safiya Pun (Open Hitter, Army)
• Aarti Chand (Open Hitter, Army)
• Poonam Chand (Police)
• Kamana Bista (Opposite, Police)
• Kavita Bhatt (Middle Blocker, APF)
• Sangam Mahato (Middle Blocker, Army)
• Shantikala Tamang (Libero, Police)

The first bid of the day was placed on Kamana Bista, who was signed by Lumbini Lava after a lucky draw among three teams. Other top players were also allocated via draw, reflecting strong demand from multiple franchises.

Notable signings included:

• Kavita Bhatt to Kathmandu Spikers at max price on the first bid
• Aarti Chand to Madhesh United at base price
• Shantikala Tamang moved to Category B after being unsold in the first round and was picked up by Lumbini

Big Spenders and Team Strategies

Home team Pokhara Ninjas spent the highest amount—NPR 629,750—to build their squad, followed by Lalitpur Queens at NPR 627,250. Other team budgets were:

• Lumbini Lava & Kathmandu Spikers: NPR 612,250 each
• Karnali Yashwis: NPR 589,750
• Madhesh United: NPR 587,500

Each team (excluding the marquee players) signed seven domestic players, and are now eligible to add three foreign players and one talent-hunt player.

Famous Faces Join as Brand Ambassadors

The league is also drawing star power from the entertainment industry. Actor Rajesh Hamal is now the team ambassador for defending champions Karnali Yashwis, while actress Niti Shah has joined Madhesh United. Actress Sanisha Bhattarai represents Pokhara Ninjas, and Subhechhya Khadka served as the auctioneer.

Infinity Dreams CEO Snebhi Chapagain stated:

“The auction’s energy and professionalism will elevate Nepali volleyball to new heights.”

Team Rosters and Marquee Players

Team	Marquee Player	Coach
Karnali Yashwis	Sumitra Regmi	Kumar Rai
Lalitpur Queens	Salina Shrestha	Utsav Khadka
Pokhara Ninjas	Pragati Nath	Rupesh Kumar Bista
Kathmandu Spikers	Usha Bhandari	Lokesh Budha
Lumbini Lava	Aruna Shahi	Bharat Yadav
Madhesh United	Niruta Thagunna	Kopila Upreti

Home Team Hopes for Victory

Pokhara Ninjas’ marquee player Pragati Nath expressed her excitement:

“It’s thrilling to lead the team on home ground. With everyone’s support, we aim to become champions in Pokhara, a true volleyball hub.”