Hockey India has announced plans to reduce franchise fees for the next season of the Hockey India League, a move aimed at easing the financial pressure on team owners and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the tournament.
The decision follows the conclusion of the second edition of the revived HIL, which ended in Bhubaneswar on Monday. Speaking to reporters, HI president Dilip Tirkey acknowledged that making the league financially viable would be the federation’s top priority, especially after some franchises pulled out ahead of the 2025–26 season.
“We need to pay more attention to central sponsorship,” Tirkey said. “We need the help of the Government. Whether it is a league or a tournament, without the Government’s support, it cannot be a grand success. We are also taking help from the corporate sector.”
Tirkey made it clear that reducing the financial burden on franchise owners is central to Hockey India’s plans going forward. While franchise fees will not be eliminated entirely, they will be reset to make participation more sustainable. “We will not make it zero. We will reduce it and reset it. The financial burden will be less,” he said. He also revealed that there has already been interest from Gujarat and Odisha regarding ownership of HIL teams, a positive sign amid recent concerns.
The HI president also admitted that the league needs stronger promotion to reach a wider audience. Although Bhubaneswar saw healthy engagement, Tirkey conceded that crowd response in Chennai and Ranchi fell below expectations. To address this, Hockey India is considering a shift in geography next season.
“Because of fog, flights can be delayed. That is why we did not choose north India,” Tirkey explained. “We will take it to north India next year – Delhi or Chandigarh. But we will keep it restricted to two or three venues.” The aim, he said, is to balance logistics while expanding the league’s national footprint.
Despite the challenges, Tirkey expressed satisfaction with the standard of hockey on display. He highlighted the emergence of young Indian talent as one of the league’s biggest positives. “The quality of the league is getting better. A lot of young Indian players are coming up,” he said, adding that these players could soon earn opportunities in the FIH Pro League in the build-up to major events such as the World Cup and Asian Games.
“We will make it the best league in the world,” Tirkey concluded, underlining Hockey India’s ambition to turn the HIL into a globally respected and financially stable competition.
