Hockey India League 2025-26 Guide: Preview, Full Schedule, Venues, Live Streaming Details – All You Need To Know

The Hockey India League (HIL) 2025-26 season is set to bring another year of franchise hockey, with a tightly packed month of high-intensity action across the women’s and men’s competitions.

The women’s HIL will begin on December 28, 2025, in Ranchi, while the men’s tournament gets underway on January 3, 2026, marking the league’s continued revival after its hiatus earlier in the decade.

Women’s HIL 2025-26: Ranchi Hosts Four-Team League

The Women’s Hockey India League will be staged entirely in Ranchi, featuring four franchises: Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, Soorma Hockey Club, and Shrachi Bengal Tigers. A total of 13 matches will be played in a double round-robin format, with each team facing the others twice during the league phase.

Following the round-robin stage, the top two teams on the points table will qualify for the final on January 10, 2026. The compact format is expected to deliver fast-paced contests while offering emerging players a platform to push for national recognition.

Men’s HIL 2026: Eight Teams, Three Cities, One Champion

The men’s HIL will feature eight franchises this season: Tamil Nadu Dragons, Hyderabad Toofans, Soorma Hockey Club, defending champions Shrachi Bengal Tigers, Kalinga Lancers, Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, and the HIL Governing Council team, which has assumed control from the former UP Rudras franchise following its exit.

Two teams from last season, Team Gonasika and Odisha Warriors, have withdrawn, resulting in a reshaped competition lineup for 2026.

Matches will be held across three venues: Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar. The season opens at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai on January 3, before shifting to Ranchi, and concluding its league and playoff phase at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.

Each team will play the others once in a single round-robin format, with the top four sides advancing to the playoffs. The knockout stage begins with Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator on January 23, followed by Qualifier 2 on January 25. Both the final and the third-place playoff are scheduled for January 26, 2026, at the Kalinga Stadium.

Hockey India League 2025-26: Full Schedule

Women’s HIL 2025-26:

Men’s HIL 2025-26:

Hockey India League 2025-26: Live Streaming Details

The Hockey India League 2025-26 matches, both men’s and women’s, will be shown live in India on Sony Sports 1, Sony Sports 3 (Hindi), and Doordarshan Sports. Live streaming will take place on the HIL YouTube channel.