New Delhi, June 10 (IANS) Hyderabad is set to become the centre of the archery world this October as the Archery Premier League (APL) arrives in the City of Pearls for its second season. From October 8 to 18, People’s Plaza on Necklace Road will host eleven days of elite competition, bringing together six franchise teams and many of the world’s finest archers for a sporting spectacle.

Initiated by the Archery Association of India (AAI) and backed by the Government of Telangana, Season 2 builds on the success of a landmark inaugural edition in New Delhi last year. The league will once again bring Olympic champions, world champions, world number ones, and some of the biggest names in archery to Indian shores, as Hyderabad prepares to host a world-class sporting spectacle.

Leading Indian archers include former World No. 1 and four-time Olympian Deepika Kumari, four-time Olympian Atanu Das, 2023 Compound World Champion gold medallist Ojas Deotale, top compound archers Jyoti Surekha, Abhishek Verma, and Olympian Ankita Bhakat, alongside an elite field of international stars.

Launched in 2025 to strengthen India’s Olympic medal prospects in archery, the Archery Premier League (APL) was conceived as a platform enabling Indian archers to compete in a high-performance environment.

The league, for the first time, brings together recurve and compound archers, both men and women, shooting together under competitive conditions while introducing a unique 15-second shot clock, five seconds shorter than the 20-second limit used in Olympic and World Archery competitions, placing an added premium on speed, composure, and decision-making under pressure. APL is currently the world’s only franchise-based archery league and enjoys the support of World Archery and World Archery Asia.

With the advent of season 2 on the horizon, Anil Kamineni, Director, APL, said, “We are delighted to bring the Archery Premier League to Hyderabad for Season 2 and are grateful to the Government of Telangana for its support in making this possible. The city has a rich sporting culture, a deep appreciation for excellence, and the energy to host an event of this scale. The inaugural season demonstrated not only the immense potential of archery as a spectator sport but also the value of creating a platform where Indian archers can compete alongside the world’s best.

“As we build on that foundation, our focus remains on strengthening India’s archery ecosystem, providing world-class competitive opportunities for athletes, and inspiring the next generation of talent. We are confident that Hyderabad will provide the perfect stage for a memorable second season,” he added.

The 11-day tournament will feature six franchises, Mighty Marathas, Rajputana Royals, Prithviraaj Yodhas, Kakatiya Knights, Chero Archers, and Chola Chiefs — with a total of 48 Indian and international archers competing across recurve and compound disciplines.

Each team will field a mixed squad of eight archers, with the competition following a double round-robin format. The top four teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the semi-finals, culminating in the final on October 18.

Speaking on the occasion, Virendra Sachdeva, secretary general, AAI and director, APL, said, “APL was conceived with a larger vision of strengthening India’s pathway to Olympic success in archery. For our athletes to consistently compete for medals on the world’s biggest stages, they need regular exposure to the highest standards of competition, and that is what the league seeks to provide.

“At the same time, APL has created a unique model for the sport globally by combining elite international participation with a franchise-based format that brings archery closer to fans. We believe the league is not only helping raise the competitive standards of Indian archery but is also contributing to the evolution of how the sport is presented and experienced worldwide,” he said.

Season 1 crowned Rajputana Royals as champions and featured several leading names from the sport, including Olympic gold medallist Mete Gazoz and Compound World Champion Ella Gibson.

–IANS

hs/bsk/