Hockey India League 2024: Discover all the key details like auction highlights, top buys, league format, schedule, and where to watch the action in India.
The Hockey India League (HIL) is back after a seven-year hiatus and set to commence from December 28, 2024, until February 1, 2025. This season will feature eight men’s teams competing in matches hosted at the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela and Ranchi Hockey Stadium in Ranchi. The tournament promises a renewed competitive spirit and an opportunity to witness India’s best hockey talent in action.
Hockey India League
The Hockey India League, launched in 2013, was created to raise the profile of field hockey in India and provide opportunities for local and international players. It became renowned for elevating the standards of the sport and introducing fans to an exciting blend of domestic talent and international stars. After its last season in 2017, the HIL is now set to return with a renewed energy and expanded team lineup.
League Format and Groups
Phase 1 (December 28, 2024 – January 18, 2025): All eight teams will compete in a round-robin format, facing each other once.
Phase 2 (January 19 – February 1, 2025): Teams will be split into two pools of four each. Each Team will compete against one another in respective pools and only the top four teams from each pool will move into the semis.
Groups:
- Pool A: Delhi SG Pipers, Vedanta Kalinga Lancers, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, Soorma Hockey Club
- Pool B: Tamil Nadu Dragons, Hyderabad Toofans, Team Gonasika, UP Rudras
The semi-finals will be held on January 31, 2025, with the final match scheduled for February 1, 2025.
HIL 2024 Auction Highlights and Top Buys
The HIL 2024 auction took place on October 13-14, 2024, with each team allocated a salary purse of ₹4 crores to build their squads. More than 550 players registered for the event, including over 400 domestic and around 150 international athletes. Players were divided into three base price categories—₹2 lakh, ₹5 lakh, and ₹10 lakh—based on the value they set for themselves. Each team could include up to 24 players, 16 being Indian (including at least four juniors) and a maximum of eight international players. Each team must have a minimum of two and a maximum of five foreign players.
Top 5 Buys from the HIL 2024 Auction
- Harmanpreet Singh – Indian captain and ace Drag Flicker, the highest-paid player at ₹78 lakh, joined Delhi SG Pipers in this year’s auction.
- Abhishek – The Indian forward was acquired by Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for ₹72 lakh.
- Hardik Singh – Indian vice-captain and defender, signed by UP Rudras for ₹70 lakh.
- Gonzalo Peillat – The legendary defender from Germany became the most expensive foreign player when Hyderabad Toofans acquired him for 68 lakhs.
- Shamsher Singh – The Indian midfielder was bought by Delhi SG Pipers for ₹42 lakh.
Read: HIL 2024 Auction Full list of sold and unsold players
HIL 2024-25 Teams
1. Soorma Hockey Club
- Top Acquisition: Harmanpreet Singh (₹78 Lakh)
- Goalkeepers: Vincent Vanasch (Belgium), Mohith H S, Jashandeep Singh
- Defenders: Harmanpreet Singh, Jeremy Hayward (Australia), Gurinder Singh, Nicolas Della Torre (Argentina), Sukhvinder, Ashu Maurya, Pradip Mandal
- Midfielders: Vivek Sagar Prasad, Victor Wegnez (Belgium), Jonas De Geus (Netherlands), Harjeet Singh, Nicolas Poncelet (Belgium), Prabhjot Singh, Ankush, Sunit Lakra
- Forwards: Gurjant Singh, Dayaan Cassiem (South Africa), Boris Burkhardt (Netherlands), Maninder Singh, Pawan Rajbhar, Harish Somappa Mutagar
2. Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers
- Top Acquisition: Abhishek (₹72 Lakh)
- Goalkeepers: Pirmin Blaak (Netherlands), Ali Khan, Atal Dev Singh Chahal
- Defenders: Jugraj Singh, Hayden Beltz (Australia), Gauthier Boccard (Belgium), Rupinder Pal Singh, Tom Grambusch (Germany), Jasjit Singh Kular
- Midfielders: Lachlan Sharp (Australia), Jaskaran Singh, Sean Findlay (New Zealand), Pardeep Mor, Pradhan Poovanna Chandura, Affan Yousuf, Atul Deep, Yogesh Malik Singh, Pardeep Singh Sandhu, Thounaojam Ingalemba Luwang
- Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Florent Van Aubel (Belgium), Sam Lane (New Zealand), Gursewak Singh
3. UP Rudras
- Top Acquisition: Hardik Singh (₹70 Lakh)
- Goalkeepers: Prashant Kumar Chauhan, James Mazarelo (Great Britain), Pankaj Kumar Rajak
- Defenders: Lars Balk (Netherlands), Kane Russell (New Zealand), Surender Kumar, Marc Recasens (Spain), Priyobarta Talem, Sunil Jojo, Sharda Nand Tiwari, Prashant Barla
- Midfielders: Hardik Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Simranjeet Singh, Floris Wortelboer (Netherlands), Seve Van Ass (Netherlands), Manmeet Singh, Jobanpreet Singh
- Forwards: Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Alvaro Iglesias (Spain), Tanguy Cosyns (Belgium), Gurjot Singh, Mohd. Zaid Khan, Sudeep Chirmako
4. Hyderabad Toofans
- Top Acquisition: Gonzalo Peillat (₹68 Lakh)
- Goalkeepers: Jean-Paul Danneberg (Germany), Bikramjit Singh, Vikas Dahiya
- Defenders: Gonzalo Peillat (Germany), Matthew Dawson (Australia), Arthur De Sloover (Belgium), Devindar Sunil Valmiki, Amandeep Lakra, Sundaram Rajawat, Mukul Sharma, Akshay Ravindra Avhad
- Midfielders: Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit, Zachary Wallace (Great Britain), Rahim Aakib Sayyed, Rajinder, Darshan Vibhav Gawkar, Maico Casella (Argentina)
- Forwards: Shilanand Lakra, Timothy Daniel (Australia), Terrance Pieters (Netherlands), Arshdeep Singh, Talwinder Singh, Irengbam Rohit
ICYMI: India Men’s Hockey Team beat Pakistan 2-1 to win their 5th Junior Asia Cup Title in Muscat
5. Delhi SG Pipers
- Top Acquisition: Shamsher Singh (₹42 Lakh)
- Goalkeepers: Tomas Santiago (Argentina), Pawan, Adarsh G
- Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Varun Kumar, Rohit, Pau Clapes (Spain), Joginder Singh
- Midfielders: Shamsher Singh, Raj Kumar Pal, Willott KY (Australia), Ankit Pal, Christopher Ruhr (Germany), Flynn Ogilvie (Australia), Jorrit Croon (Netherlands), Manjeet, Thokchom Kingson Singh
- Forwards: Tomas Domene (Argentina), Nicolas De Kerpel (Belgium), Dilraj Singh, Aditya Lalage, Sourabh Anand Kushwaha, Sumit Kumar, Iktidar Ishrat
6. Kalinga Lancers
- Top Acquisition: Sanjay, Thierry Brinkman (₹38 Lakh each)
- Goalkeepers: Krishan Pathak, Tobias Reynolds-Cotterill (Great Britain), Sahil Kumar Nayak
- Defenders: Sanjay, Mandeep Mor, Alexander Hendrickx (Belgium), Arthur Van Doren (Belgium), Antoine Kina (Belgium), Partap Lakra, Sushil Dhanwar, Rohit Kullu
- Midfielders: Aran Zalewski (Australia), Moriangthem Rabichandra, Enrique Gonzalez (Spain), Mukesh Toppo, Rosan Kujur, Nicholas Bandurak (Great Britain)
- Forwards: Boby Singh Dhami, Dilpreet Singh, Thierry Brinkman (Netherlands), Angad Bir Singh, Roshan Minz, Gursahibjit Singh, Deepak Pradhan
7. Tamil Nadu Dragons
- Top Acquisition: Jip Janssen (₹54 Lakh)
- Goalkeepers: David Harte (Ireland), Duco Telgenkamp (Netherlands), Prince Deep Singh, S. Senthamizh Arasu
- Defenders: Amit Rohidas, Jip Janssen (Netherlands), Kothajit Singh, Moritz Ludwig (Germany), Anand Y, Anand Lakra, Pruthvi GM
- Midfielders: Thies Prinz (Germany), Tom Craig (Australia), Mohd. Raeel Mouseen, Blake Glovers (Australia), Chandan Yadav, Shesha Gowda, M. Dhilipan, Arun J
- Forwards: Selvam Karthi, Nathan Ephraums (Australia), Majji Ganesh, Uttam Singh, Abharan Sudev
8. Gonasika
- Top Acquisition: Araijeet Singh Hundal, Manpreet Singh (₹42 Lakh each)
- Goalkeepers: Oliver Payne (Great Britain), Suraj Karkera, Kamalbir Singh
- Defenders: Nilam Sanjeep Xess, Amir Ali, Birendra Lakra, Yogember Rawat, Timothy Howard (Australia), Dipsan Tirkey, Anmol Ekka
- Midfielders: Manpreet Singh, Vishnukant Singh, Lee Moton (Scotland), Jack Waller (Great Britain), Jacob Draper (Wales), Mustapha Cassiem (South Africa), Yashdeep Siwach, SK Uthappa
- Forwards: Mandeep Singh, Jeroen Hertzberger (Netherlands), Araijeet Singh Hundal, Tom Boon (Belgium), SV Sunil, Nikkin Thimmaiah
Hockey India League 2024 Schedule
Saturday, 28 December 2024
- Gonasika vs Delhi SG Pipers (Rourkela)
Sunday, 29 December 2024
- Hyderabad Toofans vs Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (Rourkela)
- Soorma Hockey Club vs Tamil Nadu Dragons (Rourkela)
Monday, 30 December 2024
- UP Rudras vs Vedanta Kalinga Lancers (Rourkela)
Tuesday, 31 December 2024
- Delhi SG Pipers vs Hyderabad Toofans (Rourkela)
Wednesday, 1 January 2025
- Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers vs Gonasika (Rourkela)
Thursday, 2 January 2025
- Soorma Hockey Club vs UP Rudras (Rourkela)
Friday, 3 January 2025
- Tamil Nadu Dragons vs Vedanta Kalinga Lancers (Rourkela)
Saturday, 4 January 2025
- Delhi SG Pipers vs Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (Rourkela)
- Hyderabad Toofans vs Gonasika (Rourkela)
Sunday, 5 January 2025
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers vs Soorma Hockey Club (Rourkela)
- Tamil Nadu Dragons vs UP Rudras (Rourkela)
Monday, 6 January 2025
- Soorma Hockey Club vs Delhi SG Pipers (Rourkela)
Tuesday, 7 January 2025
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers vs Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (Rourkela)
Wednesday, 8 January 2025
- Gonasika vs Tamil Nadu Dragons (Rourkela)
- UP Rudras vs Hyderabad Toofans (Rourkela)
Thursday, 9 January 2025
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers vs Gonasika (Rourkela)
Friday, 10 January 2025
- Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers vs Tamil Nadu Dragons (Rourkela)
Saturday, 11 January 2025
- Delhi SG Pipers vs UP Rudras (Rourkela)
- Hyderabad Toofans vs Soorma Hockey Club (Rourkela)
Sunday, 12 January 2025
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers vs Hyderabad Toofans (Rourkela)
- Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers vs Tamil Nadu Dragons (Rourkela)
Monday, 13 January 2025
- Tamil Nadu Dragons vs Delhi SG Pipers (Rourkela)
Tuesday, 14 January 2025
- Gonasika vs Soorma Hockey Club (Rourkela)
Wednesday, 15 January 2025
- UP Rudras vs Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (Rourkela)
Thursday, 16 January 2025
- Delhi SG Pipers vs Vedanta Kalinga Lancers (Rourkela)
Friday, 17 January 2025
- Soorma Hockey Club vs Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers (Rourkela)
Saturday, 18 January 2025
- Hyderabad Toofans vs Tamil Nadu Dragons (Ranchi)
- Gonasika vs UP Rudras (Ranchi)
Sunday, 19 January 2025
- Vedanta Kalinga Lancers vs Delhi SG Pipers (Rourkela)
Monday, 20 January 2025
- Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers vs Soorma Hockey Club (Rourkela)
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
- UP Rudras vs Gonasika (Rourkela)
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
- Delhi SG Pipers vs Soorma Hockey Club (Ranchi)
Thursday, 23 January 2025
- Tamil Nadu Dragons vs Hyderabad Toofans (Rourkela)
Friday, 24 January 2025
- Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers vs Vedanta Kalinga Lancers (Ranchi)
Saturday, 25 January 2025
- Tamil Nadu Dragons vs Gonasika (Rourkela)
- Hyderabad Toofans vs UP Rudras (Rourkela)
Monday, 27 January 2025
- Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers vs Delhi SG Pipers (Rourkela)
- Soorma Hockey Club vs Vedanta Kalinga Lancers (Rourkela)
Tuesday, 28 January 2025
- Gonasika vs Hyderabad Toofans (Rourkela)
Wednesday, 29 January 2025
- UP Rudras vs Tamil Nadu Dragons (Rourkela)
Friday, 31 January 2025
- Semifinal 1: 1st Ranked vs 4th Ranked (Rourkela)
- Semifinal 2: 2nd Ranked vs 3rd Ranked (Rourkela)
Saturday, 1 February 2025
- 3rd/4th Place Match: Loser of Semifinal 1 vs Loser of Semifinal 2 (Rourkela)
- Final: Winner of Semifinal 1 vs Winner of Semifinal 2 (Rourkela)
Where to Watch HIL 2024-25 in India?
Sports enthusiasts across India can catch the upcoming season of the Hockey India League—both men’s and women’s matches—on DD Sports and on their newly launched OTT platform, Waves.
The opening match between Gonasika and Delhi SG Pipers at the Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium on December 28 will set the tone for the HIL 2024-25 season. Get ready for an exciting season filled with top-tier hockey.
Stay connected for the latest updates and exclusive insights. Like, share, and follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter to stay informed and never miss out on any sporting action!