It’s that time of the year in Odisha when state-wise Hockey teams will compete for the ultimate title. The Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-2025 is all set to commence on December 28, featuring six women’s and eight men’s teams. After seven long years, the 6th edition of HIL will be hosted in Odisha. The best thing about this year’s HIL is the introduction to the women’s tournament for the first time.
Let’s dive deeper and learn everything about what you can expect at the forthcoming HIL 2024-2025.
Where will the Hockey India League Matches be Held? What’s the Time Window?
Starting with the men’s league, the matches will commence on December 28 and will continue up to February 1. The men’s tournament will be played entirely in Rourkela, Odisha. The women’s league tournament will start on January 12 but will end around January 26, and all of their matches will be held in Ranchi.
HIL 2024-2025 matches will be played across two venues, including Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Odisha and Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand. The women’s final match is scheduled for January 26, 2025, whereas for the men’s team, it is February 1, 2025.
With a clear time window of around 35 to 40 days, maximum participation has come from foreign players. Thus, it will become one of the most competitive Hockey leagues in the entire world. International Hockey Federation (FIH), the global body, has now opened up the December to February window for conducting HIL for the next decade, which will be a good boost for the world to recognize Hockey and its importance.
The first men’s match will be between Gonasika and Delhi SG Pipers at Rourkela, Odisha, and for the women’s league, the first match will be between Delhi SG Pipers and Odisha Warriors at Ranchi, Jharkhand.
What are the Franchises in HIL for Both Men’s and Women’s Teams?
The men’s team at the HIL will have franchises in Lucknow, Chennai, West Bengal, Punjab & Haryana, Odisha, Hyderabad, Ranchi and Delhi. On the other hand, the women’s team at the HIL will have franchises from Haryana, West Bengal, Delhi, and Odisha.
The franchise owners for the women’s team in HIL are:
- JSW Sports for Punjab & Haryana
- SG Sports and Entertainment for Delhi
- Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited for Odisha
- Srachi Sports for West Bengal
On the other hand, franchise owners for men’s teams are as follows:
- Charles Group for Chennai
- Yadu Sports for Lucknow
- JSW Sports for Punjab & Haryana
- Shrachi Sports for West Bengal
- SG Sports and Entertainment for Delhi
- Vedanta Limited for Odisha
- Resolute Sports for Hyderabad
- Navyom Sports Ventures Private Limited for Ranchi
All the franchise owners are keen on working hard and living up to the expectations of people in pursuit of building a successful team.
The focus of all the franchise owners will be to look after scaling the women’s sports culture in India, and the preparations of all the teams will showcase that dedication. Before the auction, the purses for every franchise were set at Rs. 2 crore for women and Rs. 4 crore for men.
League Format for the Hockey India League 2024-2025
League formats are different for men’s and women’s teams. So, to ensure you don’t find anything confusing enough, here is a well-elaborated insight into the specific league formats:
Men’s HIL League Format
The HIL matches will take place in two phases. The Phase 1 will start from December 28, 2024, to January 18, 2025. Under this, all 8 teams will be competing in a round-robin format. Right from January 19, 2025, the teams will then be divided into two different pools.
The Pools will be categorized as A and B, with teams as follows:
Pool A:
- Delhi SG Pipers
- Soorma Hockey Club
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers
- Sharchi Rarh Bengal Tigers
Pool B:
- Hyderabad Toofans
- Gonasika
- UP Rudras
- Tamil Nadu Dragons
And then, every team will face one other in their respective pools, while the top four will then be moving into the semi-finals. The semi-final match for the men’s team is scheduled for 31st January 2025.
Women’s HIL League Format
WThe women’sleague will start on January 12, 2025, and all four teams will be playing on a double round-robin format. It means, every team will face its opponent twice in the schedule. In the end, the two of the highest-ranking teams will then meet one another in the final match, scheduled for January 26, 2025.
The team names for the women’s HIL are:
- Delhi SG Pipers
- Odisha Warriors
- Srachi Rarh Bengal Tigers
- Soorma Hockey Club
Parting Words
So, buckle up and be ready to witness the clash of hockey sticks while the strong teams chase the ball to their respective goals. Pick your teams, and prepare your cheers for your favorite players, as the true fun of Hockey is about to begin.
Stay tuned to Creator’s Space for more updates on HIL 2024-2025.
