The Hockey India League 2024-25 will begin with the men’s tournament at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela on Saturday.
Returning after seven years, this will be the sixth edition of the Hockey India League (HIL). The revamped hockey tournament will introduce the women’s tournament for the first time, which will begin on January 12.
Live streaming and telecast of the Hockey India League matches will be available in India.
The eight-team men’s tournament will predominantly unfold in Rourkela while the women’s four-team competition will primarily be hosted at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, with select matches played in Rourkela.
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Hockey India League 2024-25 teams
Men’s HIL 2024-25 teams: Soorma Hockey Club, Team Gonasika, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Tamil Nadu Dragons, Hyderabad Toofans, UP Rudras, Delhi SG Pipers, Kalinga Lancers
Women’s HIL 2024-25 teams: Soorma Hockey Club, Delhi SG Pipers, Odisha Warriors, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers
The men’s tournament will feature eight teams competing in a two-phase league stage. In the first phase, all teams will face each other in a round-robin format.
The second phase will divide the teams into two pre-determined groups for further matches. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the semi-finals, with the final slated for February 1.
The women’s tournament, meanwhile, will follow a straightforward league stage format. The top two teams at the end of the league stage will qualify directly for the final, scheduled for January 26.
Each match will result in a winner, with shootouts being introduced for tied games to ensure every encounter concludes decisively.
Each squad consists of 24 players with a maximum of eight international stars.
Indian men’s team captain Harmanpreet Singh will lead Punjab’s Soorma Hockey Club. PR Sreejesh, who was instrumental in helping India win back-to-back Olympic medals at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, will be Director of Hockey for Delhi SG Pipers, who also have former India coach Graham Reid in the set-up.
Belgium’s Tokyo 2020 gold medallists Victor Wegnez (Soorma Hockey Club) and Alexander Hendrickx (Kalinga Lancers) along with the member of the Paris 2024 champion Dutch team Jip Janssen (Tamil Nadu Dragons) will be among the top international stars in the men’s tournament.
In the women’s tournament, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers boasts an experienced line-up with the likes of Vandana Katariya, Udita, Lalremsiami and Beauty Dung Dung in the team.
Deepika, Sangita Kumari and Navneet Kaur will play for Delhi SG Pipers while Soorma Hockey Club have current Indian captain Salima Tete and former skipper Savita Punia in the side.
Odisha Warriors, meanwhile, have a strong overseas unit led by Dutch superstar Yibbi Jansen.
The Hockey India League started in 2013. The league was discontinued in 2017 due to a packed international calendar and financial hurdles.
The previous five editions of the Hockey India League from 2013 to 2017 were all held in the January-February window. Kalinga Lancers, Ranchi Rhinos, Delhi Waveriders, Ranchi Rays and Punjab Warriors won one title each.
