Archery gets its own IPL-style league

Archery is set for a historic moment in India with the launch of the Archery Premier League (APL), the country’s first-ever franchise-based competition. The 10-day event, scheduled from October 2 to 12 at Delhi’s Yamuna Sports Complex, will see some of the world’s best archers joining forces with top Indian names across six franchises.

The league has already created a buzz with confirmations from leading global stars. World No. 1 Andrea Becerra (compound) of Mexico and Brady Ellison (recurve) of the USA headline the international line-up. They will be joined by Dutch ace Mike Schloesser, Mexican recurve talent Matias Grande, and several other elite archers.

India’s challenge will be spearheaded by established names such as Deepika Kumari (World No. 3 recurve), Jyothi Surekha Vennam (World No. 3 compound) and Dhiraj Bommadevara (World No. 14 recurve). Veterans Tarundeep Rai and Atanu Das also feature, alongside rising stars like Rishabh Yadav, Prathamesh Fuge, Priyansh, Parneet Kaur, and Ojas Deotale.

The six participating franchises are:

• Prithviraj Yoddhas (Delhi)

• Rajputana Royals (Rajasthan)

• Chola Chiefs (Tamil Nadu)

• Kakatiya Knights (Telangana)

• Chera Archers (Jharkhand)

• Mighty Marathas (Maharashtra)

Each team will field eight archers, four men and four women including up to two foreign players. The competition will carry a total prize purse of ₹2 crore.

What sets the APL apart is its unique format, bringing recurve and compound archers together in a single league. Matches will feature mixed-team duels under floodlights, with Olympic-standard distances of 70m (recurve) and 50m (compound). In a bid to make the sport faster and more spectator-friendly, the arrow shooting time has been trimmed from 20 to 15 seconds.

Unveiling the league, AAI secretary general Virender Sachdeva said the APL could prove vital in India’s pursuit of an elusive Olympic medal. “We have won medals at every level: World Cups, World Championships, Asian and Commonwealth Games. The only one missing is the Olympic medal, and I believe this league will play a role in making that dream come true,” he said.

APL director Anil Kamineni confirmed the league will now be an annual affair. While Korean archers are missing this year due to domestic trials, he said their participation is likely from next season.

With its mix of international stars, Indian stalwarts, and a dynamic format, the APL promises to give archery the professional stage it has long awaited in India.