After more than two dozen international players pulled out of the Hockey India League (HIL) last season, citing unappealing pay as one of the key reasons, the competition is staring at the prospect of an even bigger exodus of foreign stars for the upcoming edition.
The Indian Express has learnt that leading European countries, including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and England, have refused to give the go-ahead to their players to compete in the league. The reason cited is a packed calendar, with the World Cup being next year’s headline tournament.
Players from these four countries formed nearly half of the 96 international stars in the 2024-25 edition of the league, with close to 45 players spread across the eight men’s and four women’s teams.
Concerned, the franchises — who were left scrambling for replacements after 29 players pulled out weeks before the last season — discussed the issue with Hockey India on the sidelines of the Asia Cup here on Sunday after India’s 3-2 win over Japan. Three team officials told this paper that they have ‘pushed Hockey India to take a stand, talk to the respective national federations and understand why this is happening.’
“I hope the issue is sorted,” said a franchise official. “We have to realise that in an Olympic or a World Cup year, these issues might happen. The countries will be concerned about workload, or about their player getting injured. But we have to find a solution.”
The teams also held talks with International Hockey Federation president Tayyab Ikram, who is in Rajgir for the Asia Cup and was present at the meeting. The FIH has given a 10-year sanction to the HIL and granted a window from the end of December to the first week of February to conduct the tournament. Sources said Ikram is likely to ‘personally talk to national federations and convince them to release players’.
A Hockey India official, requesting anonymity, said: “We are communicating with these countries. We hope to provide the franchises clarity on the situation before the mini player auction, which is scheduled to be held in the last week of September.”
The HIL — credited for the return of the men’s national team to the Olympic podium — was revived in December 2024 after a seven-year hiatus. The exchange of ideas between Indian and foreign players during the earlier rendition of the HIL is seen as one of the key reasons for the men’s national team’s return to the Olympic podium.
However, the competition has been mired in one problem after another since its return. Last season was marred by a mass withdrawal from 29 foreign players, who cited unattractive salary, Christmas time and unhappening venue — Rourkela — as reasons to pull out at the last minute. Among those who pulled out were 21 men, primarily from the Netherlands and Germany, and eight women players.
To address their concerns, Hockey India decided to reduce the length of the league for the upcoming edition and spread it to three cities — the HIL will begin in January in Chennai. The jamboree will then move to Ranchi and Bhubaneswar.
Along the way, however, the league suffered another setback after two teams pulled out after just one season. Vizag-based Team Gonasika withdrew from the men’s league citing ‘personal reasons’, according to Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey. On the women’s side, Navoyam Sports-owned Odisha Warriors, who won the HIL by beating Soorma Hockey Club 2-1, too have withdrawn.
Odisha Warriors were unable to pay their players until Hockey India stepped in and paid the dues from the prize money the team was owed for winning the league. The players from both teams will enter the auction pool.
The refusal of the European giants to release their players is the latest setback the league has faced. A franchise official said the presence of foreign players increases the value of the team and also improves the young Indian players.
“The players from the bigger nations add a lot of value. The young players start learning from the international stars, which is very important,” the franchise official said. “The league will happen, but we don’t want the bigger picture — improvement of Indian hockey — to get diluted.”
India face South Korea
After winning all three group-stage matches, India will take on a tricky South Korea in the first match of the Super 4s stage — comprising top two teams from both pools — here on Wednesday. South Korea, the defending champions, had a wobbly start to the tournament, losing 1-4 to Malaysia in the group stage. India are unbeaten against the defending champions in their last five matches. However, when the two teams met at the same stage in the previous edition of the Asia Cup, it ended in a high-scoring draw, with the scoreline reading 4-4. India, who conceded seven goals in the group stage — four against China and three against Japan — will hope to tighten their backline and improve their field goals ratio. Craig Fulton’s team has scored just once from open play against the two opponents, not counting the 15-0 win over lowly Kazakhstan in their final group-stage encounter.
Live on: India vs South Korea: 7.30pm; Sony Sports Network
Nearly half of the 96 international stars in the 2024-25 edition of the league, with close to 45 players spread across the eight men’s and four women’s teams, could be absent next year. (Photo Credit: Hockey India) 
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