The third season of the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL) is set to get underway on January 29 at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium, ushering in the most expansive and competitive edition of the tournament to date.
Running until February 14, 2026, the League continues to strengthen its position as a cornerstone of winter sport in the Himalayan region, blending high-quality competition with deep community engagement. Season 3 will feature an expanded round-robin format with 11 men’s teams and 5 women’s teams, ensuring that every side competes against each other during the league stage. Spread across 17 days, the structure reflects the growing depth of ice hockey talent emerging from Ladakh and surrounding regions, and provides sustained match exposure that has been missing from the sport’s ecosystem for decades.
Defending champions and rising standards
Defending men’s champions Kangs Sing enter the season as the benchmark. In Season 2, they completed an unbeaten campaign, culminating in a commanding 5–2 win over Changthang Shans in the final. Captain Mushtaq Ahmed Giri, who was named Best Player in the men’s category last season, once again leads a squad that combines physicality with tactical discipline.
On the women’s side, individual excellence stood out last year as Padma Chorol was named Best Player, while Tsewang Chuskit topped the scoring charts with 10 goals. In the men’s category, Waseem Bilal of Humas Warriors finished as the leading scorer, also with 10 goals. The League’s emphasis on values beyond results was highlighted by the Fair Play Awards, won by Humas Warriors (men) and Sham Eagles (women).
These performances underline how the League has evolved from a community initiative into a structured competitive platform, raising both standards and aspirations.
Season 3 begins on January 29 with Sham Wolves facing debutants Kharu Falcons at 9:00 AM, a fixture that symbolises the League’s continued expansion into new regions. This will be followed by a high-intensity men’s clash between Purig Warriors and Humas Warriors at 11:00 AM, both teams having reached the semi-finals last season.
The opening ceremony at 12:30 PM will formally launch the season in the presence of Ashish Kundra, IAS, Chief Secretary of the Union Territory of Ladakh. Adding a strong cultural flavour, Ladakh’s popular band Dashugs will perform, reinforcing the League’s identity as a celebration of sport and local culture.
Post-ceremony, the women’s competition takes centre stage with Changla Lamos facing Sham Eagles in a repeat of last season’s semi-final. The day will conclude with defending champions Kangs Sing beginning their title defence against Changthang Shans, followed by Changla Blasters taking on Zanskar Chadar Tamers.
League structure and knockout pathway
From January 29 to February 11, the league stage will feature four to five matches per day, typically comprising four men’s fixtures and one women’s match. This packed schedule ensures consistent visibility and competitive rhythm for all teams.
The top four teams from each category will advance to the semi-finals on February 12. The knockout structure follows a classic format, with the first-placed team facing the fourth-placed side, and the second-placed team taking on the third. The women’s final is scheduled for February 13 at 11:00 AM, while the men’s final will be played on February 14 at the same time, bringing the season to a close.
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Season 3 represents the competitive culmination of a holistic technical development programme initiated in late 2025. This programme focused on coach education, referee training, and grassroots scouting across Ladakh and neighbouring regions. Locally trained coaches have spent the winter months preparing teams within their communities, ensuring that the League functions as a direct bridge between grassroots participation and organised competition.
Aligned with the Blueprint for the Development of Ice Hockey in Ladakh, the REIHL continues to empower youth and women, transform frozen rinks into shared community spaces, and embed structured sport into the region’s long winters.
Community impact and growing reach
Season 2 drew over 10,000 spectators, with more than 7,000 attending the finals alone, turning the NDS Stadium into one of Ladakh’s most vibrant winter sporting venues. With a longer season and a full round-robin format this year, organisers expect even deeper fan engagement and community participation. Beyond competition, the League plays a meaningful role in winter tourism, local livelihoods, and youth engagement. Families, local supporters, and visitors gather around frozen rinks, reinforcing ice hockey’s deep cultural roots in Ladakh.
Through the REIHL, Royal Enfield continues to advance its Social Mission of empowering Himalayan communities through sport building sustainable sporting ecosystems, creating pathways for youth and women, and nurturing a long-term winter sports culture in the Himalayas.
As teams from Leh, Nubra, Kargil, Zanskar, Changthang and Kharu take to the ice, Season 3 stands as a powerful reflection of how community ownership and structured competition can transform sport in one of the world’s most challenging environments.
