Women’s Handball League: Stage set for launch of another female-only game in India in 2025

The pool of women sports leagues is expanding in India with another league in the making, called the Women's Handball League, to be launched in 2025.

Handball joins the likes of cricket, kabaddi and basketball when it comes to female-focused professional sports leagues in the country.

The official licensee holders of WHL, Pavna Sports Venture which is part of Pavna Group, plans to invest Rs 25-30 crore for the first season of the tournament. Revenue that will come from the sponsors, sale of media rights and franchise owners will be invested in the league as well, said Priya Jain, Executive Director of Pavna Industries & Chairperson of Pavna Sports Venture.

The company holds the licensing rights of the league for the next 10 years, with a provision for an additional 10-year extension. It expects the league to be profitable within the next five to six years.

To build the talent pool in handball in the country, the company will invest an additional Rs 100 crore in a span of three years for grassroots development of the sport.

Women’s handball in India has been on the rise with over 300,000 girls and women actively engaging in handball across various levels in India, representing schools, colleges, universities, CISF, CRPF, Railways, Services Sports Control Board (Army, Navy, Airforce), Sports Authority of India, Sports Promotion Board, and more.

Currently, over three lakh women actively engage in handball across various levels in India.

The company plans to integrate foreign exchange programs as a part of its grassroots development initiatives.

The handball league will also feature international players. "There will be player auctions that are scheduled to take place in the third quarter of 2024. Homegrown talents as well as players from global regions including the Middle East, South East Asia, Europe, and Africa will be included in the auctions," said Jain.

The league will feature six teams in the debut season. "We are open to selling WHL teams to corporate entities, individuals, and anyone from the film industry. Our goal is to engage stakeholders from diverse backgrounds who share our vision of nurturing women's handball in India," she added.

The WHL will be organised under the guidance of the South Asian Handball Federation, the Asian Handball Federation, and supported by the Handball Association of India.