Gonasika, Odisha Warriors Withdraw from Hockey India League

Published on: Aug 31, 2025, 11:18 PM IST

Hockey India Plans Replacements for Men’s and Women’s League, says President Dilip Tirkey

The Odisha Warriors, winners of the Women’s Hockey India League (HIL), and the men’s franchise team Gonasika have pulled out of the second edition of the revamped HIL, scheduled for next January, according to Hockey India (HI) President Dilip Tirkey.

Navoyam Sports-owned Odisha Warriors claimed victory over Soorma Hockey Club with a 2-1 score in the final on January 26. Team Gonasika, owned by Odia mining tycoon Tarini Prasad Mohanty, secured the seventh position out of eight teams in the men’s league.

“Most of the men’s teams will remain unchanged. Gonasika has withdrawn due to personal reasons, and a replacement team is ready to participate. We will announce the details soon. The men’s HIL will continue with eight teams,” said the former India captain.

“In the women’s HIL, with Odisha Warriors backing out, a replacement team is in place. We are committed to having at least four teams in the league, potentially expanding to six,” he added.

Tirkey also mentioned that players from both Gonasika and Warriors would return to the auction pool. “Other teams will retain some players while releasing others for the mini auction in September-October,” he explained.

Salaries Paid

There were initial delays in paying salaries to the Odisha Warriors players. However, HI ensured that the players received their salaries. “They have received their payments,” Tirkey confirmed.

Interestingly, HI used the prize money to pay the outstanding salaries. The Warriors were entitled to a ₹1 crore prize for winning the HIL, but due to salary delays, HI deducted the overdue amounts from the prize and handed the remaining funds to the franchise owners.

Three Venues for HIL 2026

Tirkey announced that the HIL 2026 will feature three venues. For the 2024-25 season, the matches took place in Rourkela and Ranchi. The upcoming season may include Rourkela or Bhubaneswar, Ranchi, and another city, avoiding northern India due to potential fog issues during winter.

“Northern cities have been considered, but due to weather conditions and subsequent flight delays, it poses significant logistical challenges,” he noted.