Tomorrow the inaugural Korfball Premier League (KPL) opens at Thyagraj Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, launching India’s first professional mixed-gender korfball competition. The season runs from 19 September to 4 October 2026 and introduces a compact franchise format designed to place Indian and international talent on the same court, under shared coaching staffs and IKF-standard officiating.
The International Korfball Federation welcomes the start of this new proposal of competition. Built around the philosophy of “Naya Khel, Nayi Soch” (New Sport, New Thinking), KPL takes a sport already present across more than 25 Indian states and gives it a national professional window: eight franchise teams, short high-intensity matches, and a single host venue that allows a full league-and-knockout programme in 16 days.
UPDATE 4/10/2026: Dilli Dhurandhars crowned inaugural Korfball Premier League champions after 17–15 final win
A new competition model
KPL is not a traditional national championship. It is a franchise league fos the first time in history. The first phase is a round-robin group stage from 19 September to 2 October, with two matches a day. Semi-finals follow on 3 October and the final on 4 October, alongside the closing ceremony.
The eight teams bring together Indian players selected through national pathways and international players from more than 15 countries. Local and international athletes will compete side by side in the same squads, sharing training, tactics and match minutes. That mix is central to the proposal: a domestic league that also functions as a meeting point for the global korfball community.
(c) IKF
The same principle applies on the sideline. International head coaches will work hand in hand with Indian assistant coaches, pairing overseas experience with local knowledge of players, language and development pathways. For Indian staff it is a concentrated high-level apprenticeship; for visiting coaches it is a chance to contribute to the growth of Asia’s oldest korfball nation.
IKF officiating and an experimental Decision Review System
Matches will be overseen by IKF juries and referees, who will apply and uphold the competition rules throughout the tournament. Control of each game remains with the referee duo (an IKF Referee together with a local Indian referee), as set out in the IKF Rules of Korfball.
KPL will also trial a Decision Review System (DRS) — a Digital Review System adapted to korfball. The basic concept is straightforward: a team may challenge a decision of the referee duo using video replay technology. If the footage shows that the original call was wrong, the decision can be changed.
The purpose of the experiment is not to replace the referees. It is to reduce human error, increase transparency in officiating, and strengthen trust in refereeing for players, coaches and spectators. Lessons from this first professional use of DRS in korfball will help the IKF assess whether video review can be developed further for other high-level events.
Opening night and where to follow
The league begins on Saturday 19 September with two fixtures:
- 18:00 — Dilli Dhurandhars v Gujarat Royals
- 19:30 — Telugu Legends v Fateh Warriors
The full match schedule for the first phase is published on worldkorfball: https://worldkorfball.sport/competitions/201/
Live Streams
All matches can be watched live in India through the JioHotstar platform in India (Indian phone needed), and in the US and Canada through Willow TV. Games are available also worldwide on YouTube.com/@ABPLIVESports (not in India) and on worldkorfball.sport website.
DAILY LIVE BROADCAST By @ABPLiveSports 🔴 Korfball Premier League (Season 1, 2026)
Live matches, fixtures, statistics, top scorers, rankings and play-by-play actions will be available on worldkorfball.sport website and on KPL official channels:
- Official website: korfballpremierleague.com
- On Instagram: @KorfballPremierLeague
- On Facebook: Korfball Premier League
- On X: @korfballpremier
KPL sits in a longer Indian story: korfball was introduced in 1979, India hosted the 1995 IKF World Korfball Championship, and the Korfball Federation of India has rebuilt a nationwide structure in recent years. A professional league does not replace that grassroots work. It adds a visible top tier — one in which Indian players, coaches and officials share the stage with colleagues from across the IKF family.
The IKF congratulates the Korfball Federation of India and the KPL organisers on reaching opening day, and wishes every team, coach, referee and jury member a successful inaugural season.