New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Punjab Royals take on UP Dominators in the season opener of Pro Wrestling League (PWL) on January 15, setting the tone for a competitive league phase as the PWL officially announced the schedule for its much-anticipated fifth season, with the league set to run from January 15 to February 1 at the Noida Indoor Stadium.

Marking its return after a comprehensive restructuring, the PWL 2026 will feature six franchises competing in a high-intensity league and knockout format, bringing together elite Indian and international wrestling talent under one roof.

The season will feature six franchises — Delhi Dangal Warriors, Haryana Thunders, Tiigers of Mumbai Dangal, Maharashtra Kesari, Punjab Royals, and UP Dominators — competing across the league and knockout format.

A total of 15 league-stage matches will be played across 13 matchdays, with teams battling in a round-robin format before the top four advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for January 30 and 31, culminating in the PWL 2026 Final on February 1 (Sunday).

The schedule features back-to-back double-header matchdays on January 16 and 17. In the first double header, Maharashtra Kesari will face Delhi Dangal Warriors starting at 6:00 PM, followed by Punjab Royals taking on Haryana Thunders. On January 17, Tiigers of Mumbai will begin their PWL 2026 campaign against UP Dominators at 6:00 PM, followed by Delhi Dangal Warriors taking on Haryana Thunders.

Each league tie will feature nine bouts across weight categories, showcasing a strong mix of Olympic medallists, world champions, emerging Indian stars, and international competitors signed during the record-breaking PWL 2026 auctions. The final league-stage fixture is scheduled for January 29, with Punjab Royals taking on Delhi Dangal Warriors. Strategic rest days have been scheduled on January 22 and January 24 to ensure athlete recovery and performance consistency.

Season 5 will showcase elite talent assembled during the recently concluded auctions, which saw franchises spend over INR 11 crore to secure 63 Indian and international wrestlers. Headlining the season is Yui Susaki, the Olympic champion and four-time world champion, who became the most expensive signing in league history after joining Haryana Thunders for INR 60 lakh. Among the men, Robert Baran, a world championship bronze medallist, was signed by Maharashtra Kesari for INR 55 lakh.

Indian stars will play a central role this season, led by Antim Panghal, who joined UP Dominators for INR 52 lakh, and Sujeet Kalkal, the reigning U23 world champion, signed by Delhi Dangal Warriors for the same amount. Aman Sehrawat, India’s Paris Olympic bronze medallist, was picked up by Tiigers of Mumbai Dangal for INR 51 lakh, while Ana Godinez strengthened Punjab Royals’ women’s lineup with an INR 46 lakh signing.

–IANS

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