Why the Nepal Cup final is the Gurkha community's biggest sporting event

Forces rugby union fans have the Inter Service championships and military snowsport speeders have Meribel – but for the Gurkha community, there's one sporting event that stands out.

The Nepal Cup final takes place during the Brigade of Gurkhas' annual Bhela at Queens Avenue in Aldershot.

The Gurkha community bring the tradition, culture and atmosphere for a day that is about more than just sport.

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"It is a kind of sense of belonging," said Lance Corporal Sonam Tamang, a football commentator with the Brigade of Gurkhas. "Getting all the veterans together and looking from their eyesight about getting this kind of atmosphere is absolutely everything for them.

"They might just remember it. They might remember their good old days back in Hong Kong. They might remember the good old days that they represent their battalions or even their regiments as well. It means a lot."

The event features the showpiece Gurkha cup final as well as a volleyball competition and a number of stalls celebrating Nepalese food and culture.

It's held in Aldershot for a reason – some locals refer to it as "little Kathmandu" and today, more than one in 10 people in Rushmoor identify themselves as Nepali.

The Brigade of Gurkhas moved its base to Aldershot in 1997 when Hong Kong, its previous home, was handed back to China.

Two of the bigger highlights of the day are the performances from the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas and an ever-popular Kukri and Taekwondo display. After all of that, people settle in for a football match that often leads to friendly pitch invasions and wild celebrations.

This year, it was The Royal Gurkha Rifles who took home the trophy after a 1-0 win and the celebrations were a sight to behold.

Check out the best of the day's colour and passion in our featured video above, or head to YouTube with the link below for the full replay of the 2026 Nepal Cup final.