The highly anticipated Hero-Hockey India League (HIL) for the 2025-26 season is set to unfold across three prominent cities for the men’s division: Chennai, Ranchi, and Bhubaneswar. Building on last year’s success, the women’s league will again be hosted entirely in Ranchi, promising a thrilling series of matches.
The men’s HIL will roar to life on January 3rd at Chennai’s Mayor Radhakrishnan Hockey Stadium. The opening fixture will pit the enthusiastic home team, the Tamil Nadu Dragons, against the formidable Hyderabad Toofans.
Eight fierce teams will battle it out in the men’s league: the Tamil Nadu Dragons, Hyderabad Toofans, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, defending champions Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, and a team representing the HIL Governing Council.
Meanwhile, the women’s HIL action kicks off even earlier, on December 28th, at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda Astro Turf Stadium in Ranchi. Fans can look forward to a week of intense competition as Ranchi Royals face off against SG Pipers in the inaugural match, followed by exciting games involving all four participating teams: Ranchi Royals, SG Pipers, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, and Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers.
The men’s tournament begins its journey in Chennai, hosting matches from January 3rd to 9th. It then shifts to Ranchi for the second leg, running from January 11th to 16th at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Munda AstroTurf Stadium. The final and crucial leg will take place from January 17th to 26th at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Teams will compete in a single round-robin format, with the top four advancing to the playoffs. The thrilling knockout stage, featuring Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator on January 23rd, and Qualifier 2 on January 25th, will all be hosted in Bhubaneswar. The champions will be crowned in a spectacular grand finale on January 26th at the Kalinga Stadium.
For the women’s HIL, a double round-robin format ensures every team plays each other twice. The two highest-ranking teams from the league stage will then compete in the final on January 10th, 2026, to decide the ultimate winner.