Premier Handball League (India)
Handball tournament in India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
- Handball Association of India (HAI)
- Bluesport Entertainment Pvt Ltd
| |
| 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 | |
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
| 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] | ||