India’s women hockey players have urged authorities to ensure the Women’s Hockey India League continues, stressing that the competition has been instrumental in the growth of a young national team currently enjoying its most promising World Cup campaign in decades.
India’s squad features 11 players making their World Cup debuts, yet the team has suffered only one defeat so far—against Olympic champions the Netherlands. They also began their campaign with a 2-2 draw against Olympic silver medallists China, underlining the strides made by the relatively inexperienced group.
A scoreless draw against Australia ended India’s hopes of reaching the semi-finals. However, the team will now compete in the fifth-place playoff, with a finish in fifth or sixth set to become India’s best result at the World Cup since 1974.
Several players feel the Women’s HIL has played a significant part in giving emerging talent the exposure and belief needed to perform on the international stage. They worry that shutting down the league could deprive future generations of a crucial platform. For the current squad, players such as Ishika, Sakshi, Shilpi Dabas and Lalthanluangi earned opportunities to showcase their abilities after impressive performances in the HIL.
“I think we have done our best to inspire girls in India to hold a hockey stick. People prefer their kids to play individual sports, but this should give them hope,” veteran midfielder Neha, who led Odisha Warriors to the maiden HIL title, told PTI.
“In the last two years, HIL for women has benefited us a lot. Junior and senior Nationals do not have this level of competition. Women’s HIL has given us players like Baljeet, Sakshi and Rutuja, who are part of this World Cup team. For upcoming players also, we need this league. It should not be discontinued.”
Their concerns come at a time when the revived league is battling significant financial difficulties. High operating expenses, modest income from broadcasting and ticket sales, delays in player payments and a shortage of major sponsors have all raised questions about its long-term sustainability.
India captain Salima Tete said that the HIL has helped in widening the talent pool for the national team.
“We have many players from HIL in the Indian team. They get a chance to be selected for the national camp, which is an important opportunity for them,” she said.
“This is just the beginning for us and there is much more to achieve. For that, HIL is a must so that our talent pool is broadened and the girls get good exposure to handling the pressure of international hockey.”
The players, however, see the competition as much more than a business proposition. They believe it serves as an essential development pathway for Indian hockey and argue that, with the national team making substantial progress, this is the moment to invest in the league rather than allow it to disappear.
Navneet Kaur believes that playing alongside some of the world’s best players has helped young Indian hockey stars overcome their initial nerves and grow in confidence.
“We have been playing HIL for the last two years and gained confidence from that. We have played with some of the biggest names in international hockey and after sharing the dressing room with them, the fear and hesitation was gone,” she said.
“That gave us self-belief. We often discuss that they are like us and we can beat them because we have played with them.”
Navneet also urged the owners and corporate houses to keep supporting the teams just as the Indian team has turned a page with their performances.
“We have heard that a few teams are pulling out of the Women’s HIL, but at a time when our performance graph is going up, we want to request them to support us. It will be a big setback for women’s hockey and the future crop of players,” she said.
The inaugural edition of the Women’s HIL featured four franchises—Delhi SG Pipers, JSW Soorma Hockey Club, Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers and Odisha Warriors. Odisha Warriors were subsequently removed after issues related to unpaid player salaries and franchise dues, with Ranchi Royals taking their place for the second season.
Ranchi Royals have also since been terminated, while payments to some Indian players remain pending. Meanwhile, last season’s finalists Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers are reportedly considering pulling out because of mounting financial pressure.
According to franchise sources, the numbers currently make the model difficult to sustain. Operating men’s and women’s teams together can cost a franchise roughly Rs 10–12 crore, including an administrative charge of about Rs 1 crore. While the Rs 2.5-crore franchise fee has been waived for the women’s team ahead of the third season, concerns over the league’s commercial viability remain.
– Ends
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