NPL: Teams can now sign up to eight foreign players

In the Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2026, each franchise team will be allowed to sign up to a maximum of eight foreign players. In the previous two editions, this limit was six.

Paras Khadka, secretary of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), gave this information at a press conference held at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on Saturday. Seven Nepali and four foreign players will be mandatory in the playing eleven.

CAN claims that NPL's credibility has reached an international level after receiving official approval from the International Cricket Council (ICC). According to Khadka, the ICC has set mandatory conditions for NPL on five main issues. ICC standards will now apply to the participation of foreign players, umpiring, media access and tournament operations.

All foreign players will have to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from their national board. Competitions not recognized by the ICC and not approved by the relevant national board will be considered unauthorized cricket.

Khadka said the ICC's anti-corruption code will be fully implemented to prevent spot-fixing and match-fixing, and that violators will face action through the regulatory body. He said NPL will be presented this time in a different and new style.