The Pro Wrestling League returns after a 7-year hiatus. The PWL, first launched in 2015, ran for four successful seasons until 2019 and is all set for a reboot in 2026.
The marquee event is set to take place at the Noida Indoor Stadium from 15 January until 1 February. The Player Auction is set to be held on January 3, which will see around 300 wrestlers going under the hammer for 72 open spots across six franchises.
THE AUCTION
The PWL 2026 will feature six new franchises
- Haryana Thunders
- Maharashtra Kesari
- Tigers of Mumbai Dangals
- UP Dominators
- Punjab Royals
- Delhi Dangal Warriors
Each franchise will be allocated a purse of Rs 2 crore, which can be utilized to build a squad comprising a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 12 athletes. Each franchise is required to have atleast 5 male and 4 female athletes, including 4 overseas athletes, 2 male & female each. The squad must also have one category C athlete, which is a provision designed to provide competitive exposure and to promote emerging talent.
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Talking about the classification of wrestlers for bidding purposes, wrestlers are divided into four categories, A+, A, B, and C, based on their international achievements and credentials. The base prices for these categories have been fixed at 18 lakhs for Category A+ , 12 lakhs for Category A, 8 lakhs for Category B, and 3 lakhs for Category C wrestlers.
AUCTION POOL
The PWL 2026 is set to witness a competitive playing field with multiple Olympic medalists and World Champions featuring in the auction pool.
Women’s Wrestling:
Women’s Wrestling will feature 4 categories in PWL 2026:
53 Kg
57 Kg
62 Kg
76 Kg
Japanese Yui Susaki,Tokyo Olympic Champion, 4 times World Champion and one of the best wrestlers of this generation, is undoubtedly the most decorated and the biggest name going into the auction. She will enter as a category A+ wrestler in the women’s 53 kg division. Other notable entries in women’s Wrestling includes:
53 Kg
Antim Panghal(India) ,2× Senior World Championships 🥉 & 2x Junior World Champion
Yusneylis Guzman Lopez(Equador),Paris Olympic 🥈
Oksana Livach(Ukraine), 2018 World Championships 🥉
Oleksandra Kogut(Ukraine), 2010 Senior World Champion
Katarzyna Krawczyk(Poland), 2021 World Championships 🥉
57 Kg
Roksana Zasina(Poland),2017 World Championships 🥉
Anshu Malik(India),2021 World Championships 🥈
Karla Godinez(Canada),2022 World Championships 🥉
Zhala Aliyeva(Azerbaijan), 2024 U-23 World Champion
62 Kg
Iryna Koliadenko(Ukraine),2024 Paris Olympic 🥈,Tokyo Olympic 🥉
Bilyana Dudova(Bulgaria), 2021 World Champion, 2018 World Championships 🥈
Odunayo Adekuoroye(Nigeria), 1x🥈,3x 🥉 at World Championships
Ana Godinez(Canada),2021 U-23 World Champion
Ilona Prokopevniuk(Ukraine), 2022 World Championships 🥉
Esther Kolawole(Nigeria)
76 Kg
Anastasiya Alpyeyeva(Ukraine), 2021 U-23 World Champion
Men’s Freestyle
Men’s Freestyle will feature 5 categories : 57 Kg, 65 Kg, 74 Kg, 86 Kg, 125 Kg
57 Kg
Aman Sehrawat(India), Paris Olympic 🥉
Arsen Harutyunyan(Armenia),4x World Championships 🥉
Aliabbas Rzazade(Azerbaijan),2021 U-23 World Champion
Roman Bravo Young(Mexico),2025 Pan American Champion
65 Kg
Sujeet Kalkal(India),2025 U-23 World Champion
Vazgen Tevanyan(Armenia), 2023 World Championships 🥉
Shamil Mamedov(Russia), 2023 World Championships 🥉
Tumur Tulga Ochir(Mongolia),2025 World Championships 🥈, 2021 World Championships 🥉
Bashir Magomedov(Russia),2x U-23 World Champion
Ali Rahimzade(Azerbaijan)
74 Kg
Ismail Musukaev(Hungary),2023 World Champion, 2x World Championships 🥉
Arman Andreasyan(Armenia),2023 World Championships 🥉
Turant Bayramov(Azerbaijan), 2019 U-23 World Champion
86 Kg
Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov(Belarus),Tokyo Olympic 🥈
Akhmed Usmanov(Russia),2023 World Champion
Deepak Punia(India),2019 World Championships 🥈
Vasyl Mykhailov(Ukraine),2x World Championships 🥉
Khidir Saipudinov(Bahrain),2025 World Championships 🥉
Abubakr Abakarov(Azerbaijan),2021 World Championships 🥉
125 Kg
Shamil Sharipov(Bahrain),2025 World Championships 🥉
Robert Baran(Poland),2025 World Championships 🥉
Magomedgaji Nurov(North Macedonia),2019 World Championships 🥉
Radu Lefter(Moldova)
With a strong and competitive field set to feature, Indian wrestlers will be presented with a significant opportunity to showcase their skills while gaining valuable competitive exposure. A number of promising young talents, including Ankush, Chirag Chikkara, Udit Gulia, Neha Sanwan, Nitika, Tapsya, Kajal, Harshita Mor, and Priya Malik, are expected to be under close observation as they seek to establish themselves at the senior level and make a compelling case for selection.
The auction will also see the participation of seasoned campaigners such as Naveen Malik, Nisha Dahiya, Manisha Bhanwala, and Mansi Ahlawat, who bring experience and consistency to the mat.
