Hockey India League 2024 Auction: Players, schedule, base price details and more
The players’ auction for the 2024-25 season of the Hockey India League (HIL) is scheduled to take place from October 13 to 15 at the Hyatt Regency in New Delhi. After a seven-year hiatus, HIL 2024-25 is making its comeback with an expanded format that includes both men’s and, for the first time ever, an exclusive women’s league, running concurrently.
Auction Dates
The men’s auction will be held on October 13 and 14 while the historic women’s auction will take place on October 15.
Player pool
Over 1,000 players have registered for the HIL 2024-25 auction, with a balance of domestic and international talent:
Over 400 domestic men’s players
Over 150 overseas men’s players
Over 250 domestic women’s players
Over 70 overseas women’s players
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Base price categories
Players are divided into three base price categories: Rs 2 lakh, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh based on the value they selected for themselves. The breakdown is as follow:
Over 600 players in the Rs 2 lakh category
Over 250 players in the Rs 5 lakh category
Over 250 players in the Rs 10 lakh category
Star players in auction
The men’s auction will kick off with India’s bronze medal-winning team from the Paris Olympics, featuring top stars like captain Harmanpreet Singh, vice-captain Hardik Singh, seasoned players like Manpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh, among others. Adding to the excitement, former Indian hockey legends such as Rupinder Pal Singh, Birendra Lakra, and Dharamvir Singh have also registered.
International hockey icons including Arthur van Doren, Alexander Hendrickx, Gonzalo Peillat, Jip Janssen, Thierry Brinkman, and Dayaan Cassiem will add global talent and flair to the men’s league.
The women’s auction will kick off with top players from the indian women’s hockey team, including seasoned goalkeeper Savita, captain Salima Tete, rising star and drag-flicker Deepika, the most-capped Indian women’s player Vandana Katariya, and Lalremsiami, among others.
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Former Indian players like Yogita Bali, Lilima Minz, and Namita Toppo have also registered for the auction.
International women’s players including Delfina Merino, Charlotte Stapenhorst, Maria Granatto, Rachael Lynch, and Nike Lorenz are set to be part of the bidding war.
Team composition
Each team will consist of 24 players, including 16 Indian players (with a mandatory inclusion of 4 junior players) and 8 overseas players, reflecting HIL’s vision of promoting both local and global talent.
HIL 2024-25 schedule and venues
The HIL 2024-25 will officially commence on December 28 with the opening ceremony in Rourkela, Odisha. Matches will be held across two venues — Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi and Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela. The women’s league final will be held on January 26 in Ranchi, and the men’s final is scheduled for February 1 in Rourkela.
In a bid to ensure every match results in a winner, the league has introduced shootouts for any matches that end in a tie.