Save Women's HIL: Indian Hockey Players Urge Authorities And Corporates To Rescue League Amid Financial Crisis

Indian women's hockey players have urged authorities to ensure the continuation of the Women's Hockey India League (HIL). The national team are currently playing their most promising World Cup campaign since 1974, featuring 11 debutants.

India have suffered only one defeat so far—against Olympic champions the Netherlands. The team drew 2-2 with Olympic silver medallists China and played a 0-0 draw against Australia, which ended India's hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

The results placed India in the fifth-place playoff. Players said this success is directly linked to the HIL and demanded immediate intervention to save the competition.

Building Confidence And Talent

Veteran midfielder Neha urged action. "I think we have done our best to inspire girls in India to hold a hockey stick. People prefer their kids to play individual sports, but this should give them hope," Neha, who guided Odisha Warriors to the inaugural HIL title, said to PTI, as India Today reported.

"In the last two years, HIL for women has benefited us a lot. Junior and senior Nationals do not have this level of competition. Women's HIL has given us players like Baljeet, Sakshi and Rutuja, who are part of this World Cup team. For upcoming players also, we need this league. It should not be discontinued," Neha added.

The league expands the selection base. "We have many players from HIL in the Indian team. They get a chance to be selected for the national camp, which is an important opportunity for them," India captain Salima Tete said. "This is just the beginning for us and there is much more to achieve. For that, HIL is a must so that our talent pool is broadened and the girls get good exposure to handling the pressure of international hockey."

Young players including Ishika, Sakshi, Shilpi Dabas, Lalthanluangi, Baljeet and Rutuja earned national camp opportunities through the HIL.

Elite competition dispels fear. Navneet Kaur said that competing alongside the world's best athletes helped young Indian players overcome their initial anxiety and build self-assurance. "We have been playing HIL for the last two years and gained confidence from that. We have played with some of the biggest names in international hockey and after sharing the dressing room with them, the fear and hesitation was gone," Kaur said.

Kaur also urged the owners and corporate houses to keep supporting the teams. "We have heard that a few teams are pulling out of the Women's HIL, but at a time when our performance graph is going up, we want to request them to support us. It will be a big setback for women's hockey and the future crop of players," she said.

Financial Hurdles Threaten League

The inaugural edition of the Women's HIL featured four original franchises—Delhi SG Pipers, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers and Odisha Warriors.

Financial instability threatens the tournament. Authorities terminated Odisha Warriors and their replacement team, Ranchi Royals, over unpaid player salaries and franchise dues. Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers are considering pulling out due to mounting financial pressure.

Operating both men's and women's teams costs franchises Rs 10 crore to Rs 12 crore, including an administrative charge of about Rs 1 crore. Organisers waived the Rs 2.5-crore franchise fee for the women's team ahead of season three, but commercial viability concerns persist.