Men's & women's franchises unveiled as Hockey India League returns after 7-year hiatus

New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) The Hockey India League (HIL) is set to make a historic comeback after a 7-year hiatus as the men’s and women’s franchises for 2024-25 edition unveiled on Friday.

The HIL 2024-25 will feature eight men’s teams and six women’s teams, marking the first time a standalone women’s league will run concurrently with the men’s competition.

The HIL 2024-25 will see its matches played across two venues; Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha.

The women’s league final scheduled for January 26, 2025 in Ranchi and the men’s final to be held on February 1, 2025 in Rourkela.

Each match will result in a winner, with shootouts being introduced for tied games to ensure every encounter concludes decisively.

Eight men’s franchises and their Owners are; Chennai (Charles Group), Lucknow (Yadu Sports), Punjab (JSW Sports), West Bengal (Shrachi Sports), Delhi (SG Sports and Entertainment), Odisha (Vedanta Limited), Hyderabad (Resolute Sports), Ranchi (Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited)

Haryana (JSW Sports), West Bengal (Shrachi Sports), Delhi (SG Sports and Entertainment), Odisha (Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited) are the four women's franchise unvieled; the rest two will be announced after the closure of legal proceedings in the coming days.

The players’ auction will be held from October 13 to 15 in New Delhi. Each franchise will build a 24-player squad, consisting of at least 16 Indian players (with a mandatory inclusion of 4 junior players) and 8 international stars.

Mahesh Bhupathi, CEO, SG Sports and Entertainment said, “We Are excited to be part of the new wave of Hockey fever in the country and are confident that Hockey India League (HIL) will grow rapidly in the first few seasons.”

Parth Jindal, Founder, JSW Sports said, "The sport is undergoing a revival in the country, and we believe we have what it takes to further that charge. The states of Punjab and Haryana have been a factory when it comes to producing champion athletes, and specifically talented hockey players, and through our teams, we want to reiterate the contribution of these states to the hockey ecosystem in our country. The role of our teams will extend beyond the league, and we cannot wait for this journey to begin."