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 AM. This will be followed by a clash between last season’s semi-finalists, Purig Warriors and Humas Warriors, at 11:00 AM.

The opening ceremony, scheduled for 12:30 PM, 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.

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 Changthang Shans, 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.

League Structure and Progression

From January 29 to February 11, the League stage will feature 4-5 matches per day, comprising four men’s matches and one women’s match, ensuring consistent competitive exposure for all teams. The final day of the league stage will include a full slate of decisive fixtures across both categories, setting the stage for the knockouts.

The semi-finals are scheduled for February 12, with the top four teams from each category qualifying. The first-placed team will face the fourth-placed team in Semi-final 1, followed by the second versus third clash in Semi-final 2.

The women’s final will be played on February 13 at 11:00 AM, while the men’s final is scheduled for February 14 at 11:00 AM, bringing the season to a close.

Season 2 drew over 10,000 spectators across the tournament, with more than 7,000 fans attending the finals, transforming the NDS Stadium into one of Ladakh’s most vibrant winter sporting venues. With an expanded match calendar and a full round-robin format this season, the League is expected to further deepen fan engagement and community participation.

From Training to Competition

Season 3 represents the competitive culmination of a holistic technical development programme initiated in late 2025, which focused on coach education, referee training, and grassroots scouting across Ladakh and neighbouring regions. Trained local coaches have spent the winter months working within their communities to prepare teams for structured league play, ensuring the League serves as a direct bridge between grassroots participation and organised competition.

Aligned with the Blueprint for the Development of Ice Hockey in Ladakh, the League continues to play a vital role in strengthening local sporting ecosystems, empowering youth and women, and transforming frozen rinks into shared community spaces during the long winter months. As teams from Leh, Nubra, Kargil, Zanskar, Changthang, and Kharu take to the ice, Season 3 stands as a reflection of the growing scale, professionalism, and community ownership of Ice Hockey in the Himalayas.

Beyond sport, the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League continues to contribute meaningfully to community engagement, youth participation, and winter tourism in Ladakh. Matches transform frozen rinks into shared community spaces, drawing families, local supporters, and visitors, and reinforcing Ice Hockey’s deep cultural roots in the region.

Through the League, Royal Enfield continues to advance its Social Mission of empowering Himalayan communities through sport—strengthening local sporting ecosystems, building livelihoods, creating pathways for youth and women, and fostering a holistic winter sports culture across the Himalayas.

Training the Next Generation of Champions

The season kicks off in November with holistic coach and referee training programs in Dehradun and Leh, led by IIHF-certified instructors – Coach Darryl Eason and Officiating Instructor Peter Gebei. The camps will equip local coaches and officials with advanced skills to lead Learn to Play (LTP) programs, scout and train young talents, and build community-based teams that will go on to compete in the upcoming developmental competitions.

Key Training Highlights:

● Basic & Intermediate Coach Training Camps (Dehradun): Empowering local coaches to conduct Learn to Play (LTP) camps and refine their technical expertise, scout emerging talent to form competitive teams for the developmental leagues.

● Referee Training (Delhi): Bringing together officials from the Army, ITBP, and regional associations, with a strong emphasis on women’s participation in officiating roles.

● Learn to Play (LTP) and Basic Skating Programmes: Introducing over 1000 children to Ice Hockey across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

● Pond Hockey Programme (Leh): A new community initiative, will pilot a 5-day training programme for 80 kids followed by a non-contact 3v3 tournament at Gupuk pond near Leh, serving as a fun and inclusive entry point for young enthusiasts and first-time skaters to experience the sport.

Bidisha Dey, Executive Director, Eicher Group Foundation, the CSR arm of Royal Enfield said, “Ice hockey continues to be a powerful expression of community resilience across the Himalayas. With season 3, we are moving from participation to progression, strengthening the grassroots ecosystem through structured coach and referee training, and extending our reach across Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. This season is about deepening our impact, enabling local coaches and youth leaders to build, train, and sustain their own communities of play. That, for us, is the real victory, when the movement belongs entirely to the people who live it.”

The season culminates in January 2026 with two of India’s highest-altitude tournaments – Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL) in Leh, and the Spiti Cup in Kaza -featuring over 30 teams and nearly 700 players from across Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh. Additionally, for the first time, a new team from Kharu, Ladakh, will join REIHL and from Lahaul region in Himachal Pradesh, will join the Spiti Cup.

The Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL), implemented in partnership with the UT Administration of Ladakh and the Ice Hockey Association of Ladakh, has become the country’s flagship winter sporting event. The Spiti Cup, implemented by the Ice Hockey Association of Lahaul-Spiti (IHALS), is now in its third year of partnership with Royal Enfield, continues to be the heartbeat of grassroots Ice hockey in Himachal Pradesh, drawing participation from remote villages such as Losar, Lalung, Keylong, and Sagnam.

Over December and early January, the trained coaches will actively lead player scouting and regional training camps, preparing their teams for the leagues. Coach Darryl Eason will also be in Leh for two weeks during this phase to mentor and support coaches on-ground, ensuring the knowledge from these workshops translates into quality player development.

Training is the focal point of Royal Enfield Social Mission’s efforts to nurture a natural progression of grassroots development that will create a pathway for the next-generation athletes while strengthening the social fabric of Himalayan communities.

A Look Back: Season 2 Highlights

The 2025 edition of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League and the Spiti Cup saw 30 teams across men’s and women’s divisions from regions including Leh, Nubra, Kargil, Zanskar, Changthang, Losar, Lalung, Keylong, Pin, and Spiti. Over 10,000 fans attended matches throughout the season, turning frozen rinks into vibrant celebrations of local pride. Kang Sings and Maryul Spamo successfully defended their REIHL title, while Sham Zone and Center Zone claimed top honours in Spiti – a testament to the growing interest of Ice Hockey in the region.