{"id":278562,"date":"2025-04-10T07:13:27","date_gmt":"2025-04-10T07:13:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/10\/hockey-india-league-a-quick-guide-teams-format-of-the-tournament-where-to-watch-and-more\/"},"modified":"2025-04-10T07:13:27","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T07:13:27","slug":"hockey-india-league-a-quick-guide-teams-format-of-the-tournament-where-to-watch-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/10\/hockey-india-league-a-quick-guide-teams-format-of-the-tournament-where-to-watch-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Hockey India League, a quick guide: Teams, format of the tournament, where to watch and more"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hockey India League is set for a return after 7 years, with a men\u2019s tournament featuring 8 teams and a women\u2019s tournament (for the first time) featuring four teams. The league will be headlined by India\u2019s Olympic medallists Harmanpreet Singh, Manpreet Singh, Abhishek and Hardik Singh, while overseas stars like Thierry Brinkman, Blake Govers and Jip Janssen are also in action.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a quick guide to get you started:<\/h2>\n

How many teams are part of the Hockey India League?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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In the men\u2019s tournament, eight teams in contention: Delhi<\/a> SG Pipers, Team Gonasika, Hyderabad<\/a> Toofans, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Soorma Hockey Club, Tamil Nadu<\/a> Dragons, UP Rudras, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers.<\/p>\n

Where are the men\u2019s HIL matches taking place?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Apart from four matches in Ranchi, men\u2019s HIL will take place in Rourkela at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium.<\/p>\n

What is the format of the men\u2019s HIL?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Phase 1 spans from 28 December to 18 January, where all eight teams will play against each other once. Phase 2, beginning on 19 January, will see the teams divided into two pools: Pool A (Delhi SG Pipers, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Soorma Hockey Club, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers) and Pool B (Gonasika, Hyderabad Toofans, Tamil Nadu Dragons, UP Rudras). Each team will face others in their respective pool, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals on 31 January.<\/p>\n

Will there be draws in men\u2019s HIL?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Any drawn matches in the league phase will be followed by a shootout. Three points to the winner in normal time; one point to the winner of a shootout following a draw plus one bonus point, and one point to the loser of the shootout, in the event of a draw. It is the same system in place in the FIH Pro League<\/p>\n

How big are the squads in men\u2019s HIL?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The squad size for all 8 teams in 24 players and the auctions took place in Delhi in October. During the tournament, teams will nominate 20 out of their 24-member squad (8 overseas) for a match. No less than 2 and no more than 5 overseas players may be on the pitch for each team at any time during the match, including the goalkeeper.<\/p>\n

Where can you watch men\u2019s HIL matches?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Matches will be shown live on Sony<\/a> Sports Network and DD Sports. Tickets are free for fans attending matches in Ranchi and Rourkela. Free tickets are now available on Ticketgenie\u2019s web portal and app.<\/p>\n