Raipur. The inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League will kick off with Rajdhani Royals taking on Nyayadhani Knights on the 22nd of October 2026 at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur. A total of 18 matches will be played among the six teams and the last two teams standing will play an electrifying final on the 1st of November.
“The inception of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League is an initiative that sets the benchmark for everyone to follow and I’m confident that the hockey players from Chhattisgarh will benefit from this greatly. Becoming CHL’s League Ambassador is a great opportunity for me to help Chhattisgarh’s talented players develop into potential national and international stars. The eyes of the entire hockey fraternity is going to be on this league. All the squads are well balanced with the perfect mix of experience and raw talent. I’m confident that the level of hockey on display in the inaugural season is going to be special.” said Sardar Singh, League Ambassador, Chhattisgarh Hockey League.
The Chhattisgarh Hockey League (CHL) is the first official state-level hockey league of Chhattisgarh, organised by the Sports and Youth Welfare Department, Government of Chhattisgarh. The league has been conceptualised to provide hockey players from the state with a structured and competitive platform to showcase their talent, gain valuable competitive experience and pursue opportunities at the state, national and international levels. The inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League will feature six franchise- based teams representing different regions of the state, and take place on the proposed dates from the 22nd October to 1st November 2026.
The franchise-based tournament, featuring 132 players which have been selected over extensive trials will be a mix of both aspiring hockey players and marquee names. Notable names that would be a part of the league are Indian hockey stalwarts who will be marquees including Olympians Surender Kumar, Pradeep Mor, SV Sunil, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Shamsher and Chinglensana Singh Kangujam headlined the six franchises.
The six squads were recently finalised and represent different regions of the state: Rajdhani Royals, Bailadila Bulls, Sanskardhani Strikers, Chakradhar Champions, Nyayadhani Knights and Mainpat Titans. Together, the six teams bring the diverse sporting identity and regional character of Chhattisgarh into the inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League.
The coaching appointments were also announced recently and are central to the league’s ambition of providing players with a structured and competitive platform to develop their skills, improve their understanding of the game and pursue opportunities at the state, national and international levels. The assistant coaches are specifically picked from Chhattisgarh to ensure continuity for a long term pipeline on the grassroot level.
The six franchises and their respective head coaches and assistant coaches along with team managers are:
Nyayadhani Knights:
Rajnish Mishra (Head Coach)
Mrinal Choubey (Assistant Head Coach)
Gopeshwar Kahara (Team Manager)
Mainpat Titans:
Rajinder Singh Jr (Head Coach)
Amitabh Manikpuri (Assistant Head Coach)
Deepesh Choubey (Team Manager)
Chakradhar Champions:
Devesh Chauhan (Head Coach)
Ravi Pareek (Assistant Head Coach)
Dhaniram Yadav (Team Manager)
Rajdhani Royals:
Ajitesh Roy (Head Coach)
Rashmi Sandhya Ekka (Assistant Head Coach)
Anis Ahmed (Team Manager)
Sanskardhani Strikers:
Ajay Kumar (Head Coach)
Anuraj Shrivastava (Assistant Head Coach)
Yogesh Dwivedi (Team Manager)
Bailadila Bulls:
Md. Riyaz (Head Coach)
Rakesh Toppo (Assistant Head Coach)
Jahangir Khan (Team Manager)
Final Fixtures:
22nd October:
5:30 pm Women’s Exhibition Match
7:30 pm: Rajdhani Royals vs Nyayadhani Knights
23rd October:
5:30 pm: Mainpat Titans vs Bailadila Bulls
7:30 pm: Chakradhar Champions vs Sanskardhani Strikers
24th October:
5:30 pm: Rajdhani Royals vs Chakradhar Champions
7:30 pm: Nyayadhani Knights vs Sanskardhani Strikers
25th October:
5:30 pm: Nyayadhani Knights vs Bailadila Bulls
7:30 pm: Rajdhani Royals vs Mainpat Titans
26th October:
5:30 pm: Sanskardhani Strikers vs Bailadila Bulls
7:30 pm: Chakradhar Champions vs Mainpat Titans
27th October:
5:30 pm: Nyayadhani Knights vs Chakradhar Champions
7:30 pm: Rajdhani Royals vs Sanskardhani Strikers
28th October:
5:30 pm: Nyayadhani Knights vs Mainpat Titans
7:30 pm: Rajdhani Royals vs Bailadila Bulls
29th October
5:30 pm: Sanskardhani Strikers vs Mainpat Titans
7:30 pm: Chakradhar Champions vs Bailadila Bulls
30th October: REST DAY
31st October:
5:30 pm: Semi Final 1 – League 1st vs League 4th
7:30 pm: Semi Final 2 – League 2nd vs League 3rd
1st November:
7 pm: FINALS
About the Chhattisgarh Hockey League
The Chhattisgarh Hockey League (CHL) is the first official state-level hockey league of Chhattisgarh, organised by the Department of Sports and Youth Welfare, Government of Chhattisgarh. The league has been conceptualised to provide hockey players from the state with a structured and competitive platform to showcase their talent, gain valuable competitive experience and pursue opportunities at the state, national and international levels.
The inaugural season of the Chhattisgarh Hockey League will be played from 21 October to 1 November 2026 at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium, Raipur; and will feature six franchise-based teams representing different regions of the state – Rajdhani Royals, Bailadila Bulls, Sanskardhani Strikers, Chakradhar Champions, Nyayadhani Knights and Mainpat Titans, who will compete for the title. Each team will field a squad of 22 players: 18 from Chhattisgarh and four national or international players from outside the state.
The league aims to strengthen the hockey ecosystem in Chhattisgarh, create greater opportunities for emerging players and contribute to the continued development of the national sport in the state. With the tagline “Chalo Re Sangi, Hockey Khelbo”, the league celebrates Chhattisgarh’s sporting identity, regional pride and its growing aspirations in hockey.
