The mat is set. The lights are on. And the roar of the crowd is deafening. The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) is back for its 12th season, but this isn’t the same league you’ve watched before. PKL Season 12 marks a significant evolution of the sport, with a host of new rules and a dramatic change to the playoff structure designed to make every single match a high-stakes battle.
Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to the world of raids and tackles, this is everything you need to know about the new PKL format. Let’s dive in.
The Teams
The PKL Season 12 will feature the same 12 teams that have made the league one of the world’s most exciting sports competitions. Each of these franchises will be vying for the coveted championship trophy.
Here are the 12 teams competing this season:
- Bengal Warriors
- Bengaluru Bulls
- Dabang Delhi K.C.
- Gujarat Giants
- Haryana Steelers
- Jaipur Pink Panthers
- Patna Pirates
- Puneri Paltan
- Tamil Thalaivas
- Telugu Titans
- U Mumba
- U.P. Yoddhas
The New Rules: A Simplified League with Higher Stakes
The most impactful changes for PKL Season 12 are centered around the league stage, simplifying the points system and ensuring every match has a decisive outcome.
- No More Ties: In a move that will delight fans, there will be no more drawn matches. If a game is tied at the end of regulation time, it will go to a five-raid shootout. Each team nominates five different raiders who raid alternately. Out and revival rules don’t apply only points scored count. If the teams are still tied after the shootout, the match is decided by a Golden Raid. A fresh toss determines which team gets the decisive raiding opportunity. This new rule eliminates ties and guarantees a winner in every single game.
- Simplified Points System: The new season introduces a much clearer points table. Teams are awarded 2 points for a win and 0 points for a loss. This straightforward system makes it much easier for fans to track the standings and the race to the playoffs.
- A Shorter, More Intense League: To manage player workload and increase the stakes, each of the 12 teams will play 18 matches in the league stage, down from 22 in previous seasons. This means every single match carries more weight and the competition will be even more fierce.
The Revamped Playoffs: A Ladder to the Trophy
The biggest and most exciting change for PKL Season 12 is the brand-new playoff structure, which now includes eight teams instead of six. This change opens up the path to the championship for more teams and keeps the league-stage race alive until the final whistle.
Here’s how the new knockout ladder works:
- Teams 1 and 2: The top two teams from the league stage get a major advantage. They play in Qualifier 1. The winner goes directly to the final, while the losing team gets a second chance in Qualifier 2.
- Teams 3 and 4: These teams face off in a Mini-Qualifier. The winner advances, while the loser gets another shot at glory later in the playoffs.
- Teams 5 to 8: This is where the new Play-ins come in. Teams finishing 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th play knockout matches to advance to the Eliminators. This change means that even a team at the bottom of the playoff spots has a real fighting chance.
- The Final Path: The winners of the Play-ins, along with the winners and losers of the Mini-Qualifier and Qualifier 1, all feed into a new series of three Eliminators and two Qualifiers, creating a thrilling and unpredictable journey to the final showdown.
The new format ensures that every position in the league table matters, creating high-stakes encounters throughout the season and a more captivating road to the championship.
A Look Back: All PKL Winners (Seasons 1-11)
The Pro Kabaddi League has created some incredible champions over the years. From the inaugural winners to the most recent champions, here is a complete list of every PKL trophy winner. 🔗
| Season | Year | Winner | Runner-up |
| 1 | 2014 | Jaipur Pink Panthers | U Mumba |
| 2 | 2015 | U Mumba | Bengaluru Bulls |
| 3 | Jan 2016 | Patna Pirates | U Mumba |
| 4 | Jun 2016 | Patna Pirates | Jaipur Pink Panthers |
| 5 | 2017 | Patna Pirates | Gujarat Giants |
| 6 | 2018 | Bengaluru Bulls | Gujarat Giants |
| 7 | 2019 | Bengal Warriors | Dabang Delhi K.C. |
| 8 | 2021-22 | Dabang Delhi K.C. | Patna Pirates |
| 9 | 2022 | Jaipur Pink Panthers | Puneri Paltan |
| 10 | 2023-24 | Puneri Paltan | Haryana Steelers |
| 11 | 2024 | Haryana Steelers | Patna Pirates |
Your Turn
The Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 is set to be a spectacle of skill, strategy, and sheer drama. With no ties, a simplified points system, and an extended playoff bracket, the stakes have never been higher.
What do you think of the new rules? Do the Golden Raid and expanded playoffs make the league more exciting, or do you prefer the old format? Let us know in the comments below!
Disclaimer: This blog post was generated with the help of artificial intelligence. Readers are encouraged to verify facts independently.
