The 11th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is set to kick off at the GMC Balayogi Sports Complex in Hyderabad on October 18. The home team, Telugu Titans, will take on former champions Bengaluru Bulls in the season opener, followed by a clash between Dabang Delhi K.C. and U Mumba in the second match of the opening day.
This season, the PKL will return to its traditional three-city format. The first leg will be held in Hyderabad from October 18 to November 9, followed by the second leg at the Noida Indoor Stadium, starting on November 10. The league’s final leg will take place at the Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune, from December 3 to December 24.
The dates and venue for the PKL Season 11 playoffs will be announced by the league at a later time.
All league phase matchdays will feature double-headers, with the first game starting at 8:00 PM IST and the second at 9:00 PM IST. Over the course of almost three months, a total of 137 matches, including the playoffs will be played in PKL Season 11.
Through clever retentions and tactical acquisitions in the mid-August Season 11 Player Auction, all 12 teams have built solid squads.
The opening day of PKL 11 promises exciting action, with three former champion teams taking the stage. A revamped Telugu Titans squad will face an attack-heavy Bengaluru Bulls in the curtain-raiser, followed by a defensively sound U Mumba squaring off against the high-scoring raiders of Dabang Delhi K.C.
Day 2 of PKL 11 will also feature thrilling encounters, beginning with a southern derby between the Telugu Titans and Tamil Thalaivas, who have retained their core players. The second match of the day is highly anticipated, as it will be a rematch of last season’s final between Puneri Paltan and Haryana Steelers.
Puneri Paltan will be looking to become only the second team in PKL history to successfully defend the championship, while the Haryana Steelers will be determined to go one step further this season and claim their first PKL title.