'Glad to fulfil my dream of reviving HIL': Dilip Tirkey

Hockey India chief Dilip Tirkey

The much-awaited Hockey India League (HIL) will return after seven long years in a new avatar, where both the men's and women's teams will participate in the event, beginning on December 28.

While the men's competition will have eight teams, six sides will feature in the women's event which is being held for the first time.

The league will be played in two venues, Rourkela for men and Ranchi for women, from December 28 to February 1. The sport's world governing body, FIH has given Hockey India a sanction of 10 years for HIL.

The players auction for the league will be held here from October 13 to 15. A total of 10 franchise owners have come on board. Players will be auctioned in three categories: Rs 2 lakh, Rs 5 lakh, and Rs 10 lakh.

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The franchise owners of the men's event are Charles Group (Chennai), Yadu Sports (Lucknow), JSW Sports (Punjab), Shrachi Sports (West Bengal), SG Sports (Delhi) and Entertainment, owned by tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi, Vedanta Limited (Odisha), Resolute Sports (Hyderabad) and Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited (Ranchi). The women team owners are JSW Sports (Haryana), Shrachi Sports (West Bengal), SG Sports and Entertainment (Delhi) and Navoyam Sports Ventures Private Limited (Odisha). The remaining two franchise owners of the women's league will be announced later. "Since the day we were elected, it was our dream to revive the league and today the dream has been fulfilled. HIL will be a supply chain for the national teams," Hockey India chief Dilip Tirkey said at HIL's launch on Friday.

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