Hockey
Hockey India announces inaugural National Women's League
The newly proposed tournament will feature the top eight teams from recently concluded Senior nationals and will kick off on 30th April.
Haryana players in action against Puducherry during their Pool D match at the 14th Senior Women National Championship in Pune on March 17, 2024.
Hockey India on Tuesday announced the inaugural National Women's Hockey League which will be structured in two phases.
The first phase is set to take place in Ranchi, Jharkhand from 30th April to 9th May 2024. All matches during this phase will be hosted at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium where the recent FIH Olympic Qualifiers and the Women's Asian Champions Trophy were held.
The tournament is set to have the top eight state teams from the recently concluded 14th Senior Women's National Championships.
Following the conclusion of the 14th Hockey India Senior Women's National Championship, the top eight state teams who have earned their place in the inaugural season of the National Women's Hockey League are - Hockey Haryana, Hockey Maharashtra, Hockey Jharkhand, Hockey Madhya Pradesh, Hockey Bengal, Hockey Mizoram, Manipur Hockey, and Hockey Association of Odisha.
Earlier last month, Hockey Haryana lifted the national title defeating Hockey Maharashtra in the final.
Notably, the league will also open its doors to young talent, with players under the age of 21 eligible to participate. This inclusion of youth players will mean more opportunities for the upcoming talents. Furthermore, the National Women's Hockey League will serve as a vital scouting platform for the national team, providing selectors with the opportunity to identify and nurture talent for future international competitions.
Talking about the tournament, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said," The National Women's Hockey League marks a watershed moment for Indian hockey, particularly for our women athletes. This league is a testament to our unwavering commitment to women's sports and will catalyze the growth and development of women’s hockey in the country."
With the Women's Hockey India league also making its debut next year in January, opportunities for women's hockey seem to growing now.
