Taekwondo Premier League: Season 1 - Schedule, Teams, Dates, Venue

India will witness a brand new franchise league as another sport has taken a significant leap towards it. Taekwondo Premier League will be held in the country for the first time and the inaugural season will start next month.

It was announced on Sunday (May 21) that the combat sports tournament will also become the first all year around tournament in India, which will have distinct championships for men, women and kids.

What is Taekwondo Premier League?

Taekwondo Premier League will be a franchise tournament of the sport named Taekwondo. It is a Korean martial art which involves punching and kicking techniques. The word Taekwondo itself includes the underneath meaning of the game. It is also an Olympic sport.

Tae - Kicking

Kwon - Punching

Do - The Art / The way of

When will TPL start in India?

The TPL is set to start on June 22 and it will continue till June 26.

Where will the TPL Season 1 be played?

The TPL season 1 will be taking place at the Talkatora Stadium in New Delhi.

What is the prize money for TPL Season 1?

The Taekwondo Premier League Season 1 will have an entire prize pool of INR 15 Lakhs.

TPL Season 1 Teams

In the initial season, there will be 9 teams locking horns. The teams of the inaugural TPL season are - Assam Heroes, Haryana Hunters, Maharashtra Avengers, Bengaluru Ninjas, Chennai Strikers, Delhi Warriors, Hyderabad Gliders, Gujarat Thunders and Himachal Hurricanes.

Also, four of the 9 team owners are women, which is an added feather in this tournament's initial crown.

Ms Srishti Rana (Haryana Hunters), the Miss Asia Pacific World 2013, leads this brigade of women pathbreakers. The other lady franchise owners are Mrs Ruchita Mittal (Maharashtra Avengers), a diamond businesswoman, Mrs Shilpa Patel (Bengaluru Ninjas), an entrepreneur in hospitality, and Mrs Isha Patel (Chennai Strikers).

Founder Director Mr Duvvuri Ganesh explained that the June 22-26 edition would be played out for the first time in a team format. "Each team will boast of five top players. We have restricted ourselves to the 58.1kg-67.9kg category to keep the competition fast and thrilling," he said.

The TPL created a record of sorts even before its launch, with as many as four women taking up the mantle of team owners. Moreover, Mrs Navneetha Bachu, the third founder-director, is also the first woman taekwondo trainer in India.

"Taekwondo is not just a sport. It empowers women by helping them to learn a self-defensive skill. TPL will educate and encourage all girls to take up this sport," Mrs Navneetha said.