Tamil Nadu Enhances Hockey Facilities with New Stadium and Upcoming League
Tamil Nadu Enhances Hockey Facilities
On Monday, Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, officially opened a new Hockey Stadium in Coimbatore. This inauguration follows the recent hosting of the FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2025 in Tamil Nadu. After finishing fourth in the last two editions, India made a remarkable comeback this time, securing a bronze medal. In a thrilling bronze medal match against Argentina, India was down 0-2 at the end of the third quarter but rallied back with an impressive four-goal performance in the final quarter, clinching the medal.
Details of the Hockey India League 2025-26
The men's Hockey India League (HIL) is set to commence on January 3, 2026, at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium in Chennai. The opening match will feature the Tamil Nadu Dragons facing off against the Hyderabad Toofans, marking the start of nearly a month filled with top-tier hockey. The league will include eight teams: Tamil Nadu Dragons, Hyderabad Toofans, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (the defending champions), Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, and the HIL Governing Council.
League Schedule and Venues
The 2025-26 Men's HIL will take place in three cities known for their passion for hockey. The tournament will kick off in Chennai from January 3 to 9 at the Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium. Following this, the action will shift to Ranchi from January 11 to 16 at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium, before concluding in Bhubaneswar from January 17 to 26 at the renowned Kalinga Stadium.
Tournament Format and Finals
In this league format, each team will compete against every other team once in a single round-robin setup. The top four teams will progress to the playoffs. The knockout rounds, including Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator on January 23, followed by Qualifier 2 on January 25, will be held in Bhubaneswar. The season will culminate with a grand finale on January 26, 2026, at the Kalinga Stadium, which will also feature a match for third and fourth place earlier in the day, leading up to the highly anticipated final.