New Delhi: The President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), Sanjay Singh, expressed confidence in the growth of the Pro Wrestling League (PWL) 2026 currently underway at the Noida Indoor Stadium. He announced that future seasons of the league will be hosted across multiple major cities.
The PWL 2026 began on January 15 and will conclude with its grand finale on February 1. This marks the league’s return after a six-year hiatus.
Speaking about the upcoming seasons, Sanjay Singh said, “The next PWL season will take place in all major cities. Due to time constraints, this edition was held only at the Noida Stadium. However, next season everyone will get a chance to enjoy this excitement.”
On the league’s return, Singh noted that the competition had been highly beneficial for wrestlers but was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He added that despite several challenges, continuous efforts by the federation and the government made it possible to restart the league.
“Earlier, the league provided significant benefits to wrestlers, but it had to be stopped because of COVID. After that, there was a long gap due to various reasons. However, both the federation and the government consistently worked to bring it back so that wrestlers could benefit again,” Singh explained.
Highlighting some key players, Japan’s Yui Susaki emerged as the top attraction in the PWL 2026 player auction, with Haryana Thunder securing her for a record ₹60 lakh. Alongside Susaki, world championship medalist Atl Panghal was bought by UP Dominators for ₹52 lakh in the women’s 53 kg category. Puerto Rico’s Ana Godinez was acquired by Punjab Royals for ₹46 lakh in the women’s 62 kg category, while Delhi Dangal Warriors strengthened their team by purchasing Azerbaijan’s Anastasia Alpaeva for ₹27 lakh in the women’s 76 kg category.
Singh emphasised the impact of PWL on wrestlers’ development, especially through competition against international opponents which boosts their confidence and skill levels.
“There are two major advantages. First, our wrestlers get the chance to compete with foreign wrestlers, which eliminates fear and builds confidence. For example, the match against Yui Susaki lasted a full six minutes. Such experience benefits everyone,” he said.
Regarding the current season, Singh stated that the league is gaining momentum and is now at its peak. He also spoke about the introduction of rules like power minutes and technical superiority limits to keep the sport’s core intact while increasing excitement.
“The Olympic technical superiority rule remains the same, but we have slightly modified it here for entertainment. Power minutes add thrill towards the end of matches. Both wrestlers and spectators feel this energy,” he noted.
Singh reaffirmed that PWL is now a permanent fixture on the sports calendar. “PWL has become a regular event. It has restarted and will not stop. Audience numbers are increasing, and after cricket, PWL has the potential to become the next biggest league,” he said.
Comparing PWL’s journey to that of the IPL, Singh urged patience, highlighting the league’s growth from its inception in 2015, pause in 2019, and current revival.
“The IPL’s journey was long. Our league started in 2015, stopped in 2019, and now has resumed. Over time, PWL can also reach great heights,” he said.
Evaluating this season’s success, Singh mentioned that despite limited preparation time, organisers met initial expectations. “We achieved our goals for this season, which was organised in just 20-25 days. For the next season, we will have more time and will improve further. We are learning every day and addressing shortcomings,” he concluded.
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