The 12th season of the Pro Kabaddi League is scheduled to be inaugurated by the young prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi and the esteemed Indian badminton player Pullela Gopichand in celebration of National Sports Day this Friday.
They will be joined by hockey icon and former captain of India, Dhanraj Pillay, along with ex-kabaddi player Pardeep Narwal.
“On the significant occasion of National Sports Day, it is appropriate that this season of the Pro Kabaddi League commences in the company of legends who have influenced India’s sporting history,” stated Anupam Goswami, Business Head – Mashal & League Commissioner, Pro Kabaddi.
“Their legacy embodies the essence that the PKL honors — celebrating our heritage while elevating kabaddi to unprecedented levels. We are honored to have them with us as we commence another exciting season,” he further remarked.
The league stage of PKL 12 is set to commence with matchups between the Telugu Titans and Tamil Thalaivas, followed by a game featuring the Bengaluru Bulls against Puneri Paltan at the Vishwanadh Sports Club in Vizag.
This new edition will introduce fresh competitive formats. For the first time, every match will yield a definitive result, with tiebreakers being utilized to resolve drawn games even during the league stage.
Additionally, a new ‘play-in’ phase has been established between the league and playoffs: the top two teams will secure direct qualification for the playoffs; the teams finishing 3rd and 4th will compete in a mini-qualifier; while those ranked 5th to 8th will engage in the play-in.