Raipur, 7 October 2026: Sspark Sports & Entertainment has been appointed by the Chhattisgarh government’s Department of Sports and Youth Welfare to organise and manage the first Chhattisgarh Hockey League (CHL).
The league is scheduled for 21 October to 1 November at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Hockey Stadium in Raipur. Six franchise teams representing different regions of the state will play a league stage, with the top four going through to the semi-finals. A women’s exhibition match is planned for the opening day.
Sanctioned by Hockey India, the CHL is billed as India’s first franchise-based state hockey league. It was launched in Raipur on 25 August, when Deputy Chief Minister and Sports Minister Arun Sao unveiled its logo, mascot and tagline.
Development focus
The league aims to give players from Chhattisgarh more competitive exposure and the chance to play alongside established Indian players, with talent identification and grassroots programmes built into it.
Sspark will handle franchise sales, sponsorship, marketing, media, team and player management, venue and match-day operations, broadcast production and fan engagement, working with the state government, Hockey India and Hockey Chhattisgarh.
“Chhattisgarh has a strong hockey culture and a deep pool of talent, and the league will enable us to provide that talent with the right platform, competitive environment, exposure and professional ecosystem required to progress further,” said Rajeev Khanna, Founder and Chairman of Sspark Sports & Entertainment.
