Excelsior Sports Correspondent
LEH, Jan 29: The Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League (REIHL) Season 3 began today with Chief Secretary, Union Territory of Ladakh, Ashish Kumar Kundra, formally opening the tournament at Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium.
Running from January 29 to February 14, 2026, the league features 11 men’s teams and five women’s teams competing in a round-robin format over 17 days.
The League opened this morning with Sham Wolves taking on debutants Kharu Falcons at 9:00 am, followed by a clash between last season’s semi-finalists Purig Warriors and Humas Warriors at 11:00 am. After the ceremony, the women’s fixture saw last season’s runners-up Changla Lamos face Sham Eagles, a repeat of their Season 2 semi-final encounter. The day also featured men’s defending champions Kangs Sing beginning their title defence against last season’s runners-up Changthang Shans, followed by Changla Blasters locking horns with Zanskar Chadar Tamers.
Defending champions Kangs Sing enter the season as the team to beat after winning the men’s title last year with a dominant by 5–2 victory over Changthang Shans in the final and remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament. Mushtaq Ahmed Giri had earned the Best Player award in the men’s category last season, while Padma Chorol was named Best Player in the women’s category. In scoring, Waseem Bilal of Humas Warriors led the men’s charts with 10 goals, while Tsewang Chuskit topped the women’s category with 10 goals. The Fair Play Awards last season went to Humas Warriors (men) and Sham Eagles (women) for their exemplary conduct on the ice.
The league stage will continue till February 11, with 4–5 matches daily, including four men’s matches and one women’s match, before the semi-finals on February 12, where the top four teams from each category will qualify. The women’s final is scheduled for February 13 at 11:00 am, followed by the men’s final on February 14 at 11:00 am, bringing Season 3 to a close.
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