The Ice Hockey League (IHL) returns to Ladakh for its third season, set to begin on Thursday (Jan 29) and will run through Feb 14 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium. Building on months of structured training and community-led preparation, Season 3 marks the league’s most expansive and competitive edition to date, reaffirming its role as a critical platform for the growth of Ice Hockey in the Himalayan region.&nbsp;Spanning 17 days, the League will feature a complete round-robin format across both men’s and women’s categories, ensuring each team competes against each other. This format underscores the growing competitive depth and consistency of Ice Hockey talent emerging from Ladakh.&nbsp;Defending champions Kangs Sing enter Season 3 as the team to beat, having retained their men’s title last year with a dominant 5–2 victory over Changthang Shans in the final. The men's champions remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, with captain Mushtaq Ahmed Giri earning the Best Player award in the men’s category. In the women’s category, Padma Chorol emerged as the Best Player.&nbsp;&nbsp;On the scoring front, Waseem Bilal of Humas Warriors led the men’s scoring charts with 10 goals, while Tsewang Chuskit led the women’s category with 10 goals. Reinforcing the League’s emphasis on sportsmanship, the Fair Play Awards were presented to Humas Warriors (men) and Sham Eagles (women) for their exemplary conduct on the ice.<h2>Opening Day Fixtures</h2>The league will begin on January 29 with Sham Wolves taking on debutants Kharu Falcons in the opening game at 9:00 a.m. This will be followed by a clash between last season’s semi-finalists, Purig Warriors and Humas Warriors, at 11:00 a.m.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;The opening ceremony, scheduled for 12:30 p.m, will mark the formal commencement of the season in the august presence of Mr. Ashish Kundra, IAS, Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh. Also, Ladakh’s popular band, Dashugs, will perform at the ceremony, setting the tone for a season that blends high-intensity competition with strong local cultural identity.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a>&nbsp;Post the ceremony, the women’s category will take centre stage as last season’s runners-up Changla Lamos face Sham Eagles, a repeat of their semi-final encounter from the REIHL Season 2. The day will also see men’s defending champions Kangs Sing begin their title defence against last season’s runners-up ChangthangShans, followed by Changla Blasters locking horns with Zanskar Chadar Tamers.&nbsp;In the women’s category, Kharu Eagles, making their League debut this season, will play their first match against Humas Queens on January 31.&nbsp;(With Inputs from Agencies)

Defending champions Kangs Sing enter Season 3 as the team to beat, having retained their men’s title last year with a dominant 5–2 victory over Changthang Shans in the final.

The Ice Hockey League (IHL) returns to Ladakh for its third season, set to begin on Thursday (Jan 29) and will run through Feb 14 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium. Building on months of structured training and community-led preparation, Season 3 marks the league’s most expansive and competitive edition to date, reaffirming its role as a critical platform for the growth of Ice Hockey in the Himalayan region. Spanning 17 days, the League will feature a complete round-robin format across both men’s and women’s categories, ensuring each team competes against each other. This format underscores the growing competitive depth and consistency of Ice Hockey talent emerging from Ladakh. Defending champions Kangs Sing enter Season 3 as the team to beat, having retained their men’s title last year with a dominant 5–2 victory over Changthang Shans in the final. The men's champions remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, with captain Mushtaq Ahmed Giri earning the Best Player award in the men’s category. In the women’s category, Padma Chorol emerged as the Best Player. On the scoring front, Waseem Bilal of Humas Warriors led the men’s scoring charts with 10 goals, while Tsewang Chuskit led the women’s category with 10 goals. Reinforcing the League’s emphasis on sportsmanship, the Fair Play Awards were presented to Humas Warriors (men) and Sham Eagles (women) for their exemplary conduct on the ice. Opening Day Fixtures The league will begin on January 29 with Sham Wolves taking on debutants Kharu Falcons in the opening game at 9:00 a.m. This will be followed by a clash between last season’s semi-finalists, Purig Warriors and Humas Warriors, at 11:00 a.m. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds The opening ceremony, scheduled for 12:30 p.m, will mark the formal commencement of the season in the august presence of Mr. Ashish Kundra, IAS, Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh. Also, Ladakh’s popular band, Dashugs, will perform at the ceremony, setting the tone for a season that blends high-intensity competition with strong local cultural identity. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli Post the ceremony, the women’s category will take centre stage as last season’s runners-up Changla Lamos face Sham Eagles, a repeat of their semi-final encounter from the REIHL Season 2. The day will also see men’s defending champions Kangs Sing begin their title defence against last season’s runners-up ChangthangShans, followed by Changla Blasters locking horns with Zanskar Chadar Tamers. In the women’s category, Kharu Eagles, making their League debut this season, will play their first match against Humas Queens on January 31. (With Inputs from Agencies)

Defending champions Kangs Sing enter Season 3 as the team to beat, having retained their men’s title last year with a dominant 5–2 victory over Changthang Shans in the final.

India's Ladakh set for third season of Ice Hockey League, 16 teams to participate across divisions

The Spiti Cup is set to return for its third season from February 7 - 11, 2026, reaffirming its role as a cornerstone grassroots winter sports initiative in the Himalayas. Held during the region’s harsh winter, the tournament brings together remote villages, transforming frozen landscapes into shared arenas of participation, pride, and collective resilience. With Ice hockey gaining momentum across Spiti and neighbouring valleys, the 2026 edition marks a significant step forward in scale and structure. The tournament expands to 22 games, up from 18 last season, featuring teams from five zones — Centre, Tod, Sham, Pin, and Lahaul—across Senior Men, Women, and U-18 Boys categories. Organised in collaboration with the Ice Hockey Association of Lahaul and Spiti (IHALS), supported by Royal Enfield Social Mission, and held in partnership with the Spiti Administration, the Spiti Cup functions as a community-owned developmental competition. Beyond the games, it brings together players, families, volunteers, and supporters, reinforcing unity and shared identity in one of the country’s most challenging environments. The 2026 edition will be played in a league format, with each team competing against every other team in its respective category. The team topping the points table at the end of the league stage will be crowned champion. The five-day tournament will feature 10 games in the Senior Men’s category and six games each in the Women’s and U-18 Boys categories.&nbsp;Marking a significant step in the tournament’s evolution, players from Lahaul &amp; Shimla will enter the Spiti Cup for the first time in the Senior Men’s category. A team from Sangla in Kinnaur Valley will also participate for the second consecutive year, underscoring sustained engagement from neighbouring regions beyond Spiti.&nbsp;At the grassroots level, the Spiti Cup is anchored in a strong community-based structure. The pathway begins with 12 village- and cluster-level clubs, where players train for nearly a month during winter. These clubs come together to form zonal teams that ultimately compete in Kaza.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/meet-indians-to-score-most-runs-in-each-of-last-5-t20-world-cups-ft-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-rohit-sharma-2026-t20-world-cup-1768479871185">Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli</a> The tournament also serves as the competitive culmination of a season-long capacity-building effort. In the lead-up to the Cup, coaches from across the region underwent holistic training led by international instructor Darryl Easson, focusing on technical skills, player development and game management. These coaches have since returned to their respective communities to scout talent, and prepare teams systematically.&nbsp;In the month preceding the tournament, over 500 children and youth participate in structured Ice hockey training across villages and zones. These sessions are led by locally based coaches trained through formal programmes, ensuring consistent high-quality instruction.&nbsp;Strengthening the ecosystem further, dedicated referee training initiatives have been conducted, focusing on rule interpretation, on-ice decision-making, and professional game management - helping build a sustainable pool of trained officials for the region.&nbsp;ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-chris-gayle-to-brendon-mccullum-5-batters-to-score-fastest-t20-world-cup-hundreds-rilee-rossouw-ahmed-shehzad-1768553361691">From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds</a>&nbsp;Alongside Ice hockey, Spiti Cup will once again feature Speed Skating competition, encouraging wider participation across Under-16, under-18, and senior categories. Notably, 7-10 skaters from Cheog (Shimla District) will also participate in Kaza, reflecting growing interest in winter sports across Himachal Pradesh.&nbsp;As the Spiti Cup enters its third season, it continues to strengthen the Ice hockey ecosystem in the Himalayas by investing in players, coaches, and officials alike, expanding access to competition, and building sustainable pathways for future talent.

At the grassroots level, the Spiti Cup is anchored in a strong community-based structure. The pathway begins with 12 village- and cluster-level clubs, where players train for nearly a month during winter. 

The Spiti Cup is set to return for its third season from February 7 - 11, 2026, reaffirming its role as a cornerstone grassroots winter sports initiative in the Himalayas. Held during the region’s harsh winter, the tournament brings together remote villages, transforming frozen landscapes into shared arenas of participation, pride, and collective resilience. With Ice hockey gaining momentum across Spiti and neighbouring valleys, the 2026 edition marks a significant step forward in scale and structure. The tournament expands to 22 games, up from 18 last season, featuring teams from five zones — Centre, Tod, Sham, Pin, and Lahaul—across Senior Men, Women, and U-18 Boys categories. Organised in collaboration with the Ice Hockey Association of Lahaul and Spiti (IHALS), supported by Royal Enfield Social Mission, and held in partnership with the Spiti Administration, the Spiti Cup functions as a community-owned developmental competition. Beyond the games, it brings together players, families, volunteers, and supporters, reinforcing unity and shared identity in one of the country’s most challenging environments. The 2026 edition will be played in a league format, with each team competing against every other team in its respective category. The team topping the points table at the end of the league stage will be crowned champion. The five-day tournament will feature 10 games in the Senior Men’s category and six games each in the Women’s and U-18 Boys categories. Marking a significant step in the tournament’s evolution, players from Lahaul & Shimla will enter the Spiti Cup for the first time in the Senior Men’s category. A team from Sangla in Kinnaur Valley will also participate for the second consecutive year, underscoring sustained engagement from neighbouring regions beyond Spiti. At the grassroots level, the Spiti Cup is anchored in a strong community-based structure. The pathway begins with 12 village- and cluster-level clubs, where players train for nearly a month during winter. These clubs come together to form zonal teams that ultimately compete in Kaza. ALSO READ | Meet Indians to score most runs in each of last 5 T20 World Cups ft Virat Kohli The tournament also serves as the competitive culmination of a season-long capacity-building effort. In the lead-up to the Cup, coaches from across the region underwent holistic training led by international instructor Darryl Easson, focusing on technical skills, player development and game management. These coaches have since returned to their respective communities to scout talent, and prepare teams systematically. In the month preceding the tournament, over 500 children and youth participate in structured Ice hockey training across villages and zones. These sessions are led by locally based coaches trained through formal programmes, ensuring consistent high-quality instruction. Strengthening the ecosystem further, dedicated referee training initiatives have been conducted, focusing on rule interpretation, on-ice decision-making, and professional game management - helping build a sustainable pool of trained officials for the region. ALSO READ | From Chris Gayle to Brendon McCullum, 5 batters to score fastest T20 World Cup hundreds Alongside Ice hockey, Spiti Cup will once again feature Speed Skating competition, encouraging wider participation across Under-16, under-18, and senior categories. Notably, 7-10 skaters from Cheog (Shimla District) will also participate in Kaza, reflecting growing interest in winter sports across Himachal Pradesh. As the Spiti Cup enters its third season, it continues to strengthen the Ice hockey ecosystem in the Himalayas by investing in players, coaches, and officials alike, expanding access to competition, and building sustainable pathways for future talent.

At the grassroots level, the Spiti Cup is anchored in a strong community-based structure. The pathway begins with 12 village- and cluster-level clubs, where players train for nearly a month during winter.&nbsp;

Spiti Cup 2026 to kick start on Feb 7 with increased number of matches

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India's Ladakh set for third season of Ice Hockey League, 16 teams to participate across divisions

Spiti Cup 2026 to kick start on Feb 7 with increased number of matches