Savita Punia Urges PM Modi to Support Women’s Hockey India League After Historic World Cup Run
Indian women’s hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia has made an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the Women’s Hockey India League as concerns continue over the competition’s future. The request comes at an important moment for Indian women’s hockey, following the national team’s impressive campaign at the 2026 FIH Women’s Hockey World Cup.
India finished fifth at the World Cup after defeating Germany 3-1 in the classification match. The result marked the team’s best finish at the tournament since India finished fourth in the inaugural Women’s Hockey World Cup in 1974. The achievement ended a 52-year wait for India to record a comparable World Cup result.
Following the historic campaign, attention has turned towards the domestic structure supporting women’s hockey. Punia has expressed concern about uncertainty surrounding the Women’s Hockey India League and has called for greater support to ensure that the competition remains active.
The goalkeeper highlighted the importance of the league in providing opportunities to young Indian players. A professional domestic competition allows emerging athletes to compete alongside established international players and gain experience in a high-pressure environment. Such exposure can play an important role in preparing players for international competitions.
The Women’s Hockey India League has faced concerns linked to franchise participation and financial sustainability. Reports have indicated that uncertainty surrounding the league has caused concern among members of the national team, particularly after the players experienced a successful World Cup campaign.
For Punia and other senior players, maintaining a strong domestic competition is important for ensuring a consistent pathway for young talent. The league can provide aspiring players with regular competitive opportunities instead of depending solely on national camps and international tournaments.
The timing of Punia’s appeal is also significant because the Indian women’s team has shown considerable progress on the international stage. Before the World Cup, India won the FIH Women’s Nations Cup in Auckland in June 2026. The victory provided the team with confidence before entering the World Cup and helped demonstrate that India could compete against some of the leading teams in international hockey.
Punia has previously spoken about the importance of competitive exposure for the Indian team. Her experience as one of India’s most established goalkeepers has given her a long-term perspective on the development of the sport. She has represented India at multiple major tournaments and has been an important figure in the team’s international campaigns.
The veteran goalkeeper has also reached a major individual milestone, becoming only the second Indian woman to complete 300 international appearances. Hockey India recognised the achievement in February 2025. Her long career has given her extensive experience of the challenges faced by Indian hockey players at different stages of development.
The Women’s Hockey India League was revived as part of efforts to strengthen the professional hockey structure in India. The competition is intended to provide players with a platform to compete regularly while increasing the visibility of women’s hockey.
Players have argued that the league can also help attract younger athletes to the sport. A successful professional competition provides greater exposure to domestic players and creates opportunities for them to work with experienced Indian and overseas players.
Punia’s appeal therefore goes beyond the immediate future of one tournament. It reflects a broader concern about maintaining the momentum created by the national team’s recent international performances. With India achieving its best World Cup finish in more than five decades, players and supporters are keen to ensure that the progress continues.
The financial aspect remains one of the key challenges. A professional league requires stable franchise participation, commercial backing and long-term planning. Reports have indicated that securing sufficient financial support is important for the Women’s Hockey India League to continue in a sustainable manner.
Other Indian women’s hockey players have also spoken about the importance of keeping the league alive. Their concerns underline the role of domestic competitions in building a strong player pipeline for the national team.
India’s fifth-place World Cup finish has provided a significant boost to women’s hockey. The team defeated Germany 3-1 after trailing under pressure during the first half, producing a strong second-half comeback. The victory also demonstrated the progress made by the squad during the tournament.
For the players, the next challenge will be converting this international progress into sustained success. A strong domestic league could be one of the important components of that process.
Savita Punia’s request to the Prime Minister has therefore placed the future of the Women’s Hockey India League firmly in the spotlight. Her message comes from a player who has spent many years at the highest level of the sport and understands the importance of a reliable development system.
The Indian women’s hockey team has now produced one of its strongest World Cup performances in decades. The players hope that the momentum from that achievement can be supported by a stable professional league, giving the next generation of Indian hockey players the opportunity to develop, compete and eventually represent the country on the international stage.