The 26th edition of the Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup, one of the most anticipated events on Nepal's domestic football calendar, will begin in the first week of Magh, organisers Sahara Club Pokhara have announced. The tournament will be held at Pokhara Rangashala from Magh 5 to Magh 16, bringing close to two weeks of competitive football to the heart of the Gandaki region. The announcement was made in Kaski district, where the club confirmed the dates and venue for this year's competition.
As reported by RatoPati, Nepal Press and Pradesh Khabar, the organisers have formally fixed the tournament window, ending speculation about when the long-running competition would return to the lake city.
Tournament at a Glance
The key details confirmed by the organisers are as follows:
- Edition: 26th Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup
- Start date: Magh 5, in the first week of the month
- End date: Magh 16
- Venue: Pokhara Rangashala, Pokhara
- Organiser: Sahara Club Pokhara
- Announcement made in: Kaski
Two Weeks of Football at Pokhara Rangashala
According to the schedule announced by Sahara Club Pokhara, the tournament will run from Magh 5 to Magh 16, a stretch of nearly a fortnight. The opening of the competition in the first week of Magh places it squarely within the period when Nepali football traditionally shifts into its busy Gold Cup season, with tournaments across the country drawing clubs and supporters during the winter months.
Pokhara Rangashala, the main football stadium in Pokhara, will once again serve as the sole venue for the competition. The stadium has long been the centre of major football activity in the Gandaki region, and its selection for the 26th edition underlines the tournament's deep association with the city. For football followers in and around Pokhara, the confirmed dates mean the stands at Rangashala will be filled with spectators once again from the very start of Magh.
The decision to hold the tournament across Magh 5 to Magh 16 also gives the organisers a clear and extended window to stage the full competition, from the opening match to the final, within a single venue.
Organised by Sahara Club Pokhara
Sahara Club Pokhara, the body behind the tournament, made the announcement in Kaski. The club has been the driving force behind the Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup throughout its history, and the 26th edition is a reflection of its continued commitment to hosting football in the region year after year.
The announcement of the dates comes well ahead of the tournament's start, giving participating teams, officials and fans ample notice. For a competition that has reached its 26th edition, such advance planning is an important part of maintaining the tournament's place in the national football calendar.
The confirmation of the schedule was carried widely by local and national media, including Pradesh Khabar, which noted the tournament's return to Pokhara Rangashala in the first week of Magh.
More Than Two Decades of Gold Cup Football
Reaching a 26th edition is a milestone few domestic tournaments in Nepal can claim. The Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup has been a fixture of the football scene for more than two decades, and each new edition adds to a history that has made the competition one of the most recognisable names associated with Nepali club football.
Over the years, the tournament has become closely identified with Pokhara itself. The phrase "Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup" is synonymous with Magh-time football in the city, and the event has played a role in keeping the sport alive and visible in a region that lies away from the capital's main football hubs.
The Gold Cup format that the Aaha Rara belongs to has long been a distinctive feature of Nepali football. These tournaments, typically held in the cooler months, give clubs competitive matches outside the regular league structure and offer players valuable game time in front of engaged local crowds. The 26th Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup will add another chapter to that tradition when it begins at Pokhara Rangashala.
For Sahara Club Pokhara, the milestone 26th edition also represents continuity. Sustaining a football tournament across a quarter-century requires consistent effort from organisers, sponsors and the local community, and the club's announcement confirms that this collective effort will continue into yet another season.
Countdown to Kick-Off
With the dates and venue now official, attention in Pokhara will turn towards Magh 5, when the 26th Aaha Rara Pokhara Gold Cup gets under way. The tournament will continue through Magh 16, culminating in a final at Pokhara Rangashala.
Further details regarding the participating teams, fixtures and prize structure are expected to be announced by Sahara Club Pokhara as the start of the tournament approaches. For now, football fans in Kaski and beyond have a confirmed date to mark on their calendars: from the first week of Magh, Pokhara Rangashala will once again host one of the country's most storied Gold Cup tournaments, now in its 26th year.
The organisers' announcement, as covered by Nepal Press, sets the stage for what promises to be another memorable edition of a tournament that has become an inseparable part of Pokhara's sporting identity.
