Premier Handball League (India)
 | |
| Sport | Handball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Founder |
|
| First season | 2023 |
| Motto | It's a Different Ball Game |
| No. of teams | 6 |
| Country | India |
| Confederation | Asian Handball Federation |
Most recent champion | Maharashtra Ironmen (2023)[1] |
| Most titles | Maharashtra Ironmen (1 title) |
| Broadcasters | |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| International cup | AHF Handball Championship |
| Tournament format | Round-robin, knockout |
| Website | Official website |
 2023 PHL | |
The Premier Handball League (PHL) was India's men's professional handball league.[2][3][4] The league was an initiative between the Handball Association of India (HAI) and the Bluesport Entertainment Private Limited. Premier Handball League used a franchise-based model. It was sanctioned by the South Asian Handball Federation and affiliated with the Asian Handball Federation.[3] It was replaced by the Handball Pro League.[5]
History
The Premier Handball League encompasses six franchises, each representing cities across India. The teams were officially announced at a press conference in Jaipur.[6] The first season was held between 8 and 25 June 2023 at Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium.[7][8] The first player auction was held on 23 April.[9][7][10]
Teams
Rajasthan Patriots
Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh
,Garvit Gujarat
Delhi Panzers
Locations of the Premier Handball League clubs
| City | Team | Debut | Owner(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad | Telugu Talons | 2023 | Abhishek Reddy Kankanala |
| Jaipur | Rajasthan Patriots | 2023 | Shiv Vilas Resorts Private Limited |
| Lucknow | Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh | 2023 | Iconic Olympic Games Academy |
| Ahmedabad | Garvit Gujarat | 2023 | R. K. Naidu |
| Mumbai | Maharashtra Ironmen | 2023 | Punit Balan |
| Delhi | Delhi Panzers | 2023 | Vineet Bhandari, Rajat Agarwal, Sailesh Arya |
Winners
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Score | Venue (city) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Maharashtra Ironmen | Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh | 38–24 | Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium (Jaipur)[11] | ||
See also
References
- ↑ "Premier Handball League 2023: Maharashtra Ironmen Crowned Champions of first-ever Season - myKhel". Archived from the original on 26 June 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2025.
- ↑ "Jaipur to host the inaugural season of the Premier Handball League". Hindustan Times. 12 May 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- 1 2 "Premier Handball League: Format, squads, fixtures – what you need to know about new competition". Scroll.in. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ↑ "Premier Handball League: Little-known sport hopes to raise its game in new avatar". ESPN. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ↑ https://indiasportshub.com/handball-pro-league-india-2026-a-new-professional-blueprint-takes-shape-in-nagpur/
- ↑ "Inaugural edition of Premier Handball League slated to be held in Jaipur, December 24 onwards". www.knocksence.com. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- 1 2 "Premier Handball League 2023 Auction: India Internationals draw strong attention from all teams". sportstar.thehindu.com. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ↑ "All you need to know about Premier Handball League 2023". thebridge.in. 8 June 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ↑ "Premier Handball League 2023 Auction: Full List of India & Overseas Players Bought, Complete Squads of 6 Teams". www.mykhel.com. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ↑ "Telugu Talons and Delhi Panzers join Premier Handball League". The Times of India. PTI. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
- ↑ "Maharashtra Ironmen crowned champions of the first-ever Premier Handball League". The Times of India. 25 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 20 July 2023.