Published on: September 21, 2026
NEW DELHI:India will host its first professional mixed-gender sports tournament with the launch of the Korfball Premier League (KPL), scheduled to run through October 4. The competition introduces a formal league structure to korfball, a sport played under rules requiring an equal roster of four men and four women on the court at all times.
The tournament features eight regional franchises and includes international players from 20 countries alongside domestic talent. Matches will be broadcast nationally on Star Sports and streamed on Jio Hotstar.
Union Minister Kiran Rijiju attended the official launch in New Delhi, pointing to the league’s potential to diversify India’s sports programming and institutional support for non-cricket disciplines.
“India’s sporting framework requires competitive, organized leagues outside the traditional disciplines,” said Kiran Rijiju. “A sport built on explicit gender parity offers an objective model for team sports governance. The league creates immediate international competitive exposure for Indian athletes within our home infrastructure.”
Originating in the Netherlands, korfball combines elements of basketball and netball. The game explicitly prohibits direct physical contact, tackling, or dribbling, relying instead on rapid ball movement, perimeter shooting into a 3.5-meter high basket, and strict individual defensive matchups divided by gender.
“Korfball is uniquely positioned to revolutionize sports entertainment in India by breaking conventional barriers and championing genuine gender equality on the field,” said Amandeep Singh, Co-Founder of the Korfball Premier League.
“Our objective is to test whether an equitable team format can build a commercially viable audience in India,” said Zaara Gadhok, Co-Founder of the Korfball Premier League. “By securing national television distribution and integrating overseas professionals, we are building a verifiable talent pipeline rather than treating the sport as an exhibition.”
”Our vision with the KPL is to pioneer a truly inclusive sports model that challenges traditional event formats in India,” said Gagandeep Handa, Founder of the KPL and Sporty Bharat. “By combining international caliber talent, strong infrastructure, and nationwide television broadcast, we are building a long-term commercial platform that sets a new benchmark for gender-equal competitive sports.”
The inaugural season will operate in a single-table round-robin format, with the top four teams advancing to the knockout playoffs ahead of the final on October 4.
About the Korfball Premier League
The Korfball Premier League (KPL) is India’s professional mixed-gender sports league, organized to develop national talent and administer top-tier domestic competition under international korfball regulations.
About Sporty Bharat
Sporty Bharat is an Indian sports management company that administers, produces, and commercializes emerging competitive sports platforms, focusing on infrastructure development, athlete management, and multi-channel broadcast rights.
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