Kathmandu, Jan. 14 -- January 13, 2026 marked 947 days of no domestic football in Nepal. This count ends on Wednesday, as the National League, being played between 17 teams, kicks off at 11am with Kakre Bihar FC facing Friends' Club Kopundole in the tournament opener at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato, Lalitpur.

Kakre Bihar are one of the four teams-alongside Laligurans Association Club, Chitlang FC and Nawa Jana Jagriti Club-progressing to the National League from the President League. Friends' Club is one of the 13 A-Division clubs participating in the tournament.

Format-wise, the National League should have 10 teams, of which four come from the President League, and six are the top-placed teams from the Martyr's Memorial 'A' Division L...