| Sport | Field hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1905 |
| Administrator | Hockey Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Headquarters | Kolkata |
| Most recent champion(s) | East Bengal (10th title) |
| Most titles | Mohun Bagan (26 titles) |
| Official website | hockeybengal.org |
Calcutta Hockey League is a field hockey league organized by Hockey Bengal (formerly the Bengal Hockey Association). The first edition was held in 1905. It is a division based league held at Kolkata and is the oldest field hockey league in India. [1] [2] Until the formation of the top division national leagues such as Premier Hockey League and Hockey India League post 2000s, the Calcutta Hockey League was the most competitive league in the country. [3] [4]
The league was first held in 1905, ten years after the initiation of Beighton Cup Tournament and three years before the formation of the Bengal Hockey Association (BHA) in 1908. [5] It is considered the next prominent competition to Beighton Cup in status and eminence. The First Division commenced in 1905, and later expanded to the Second Division in 1907, Third Division in 1920, Fourth Division in 1932 and Division ll - B in 1933. The competition has been held annually ever since, except the year of partition in 1947. [1]
The early years were dominated by the collegiate teams such as Sibpur B.E. College followed by the prominence of the Anglo-Indian club Calcutta Rangers and the Calcutta Customs throughout the 1910s and 1920s decades. The first team composed of Indian players to win the league was Greer Sporting who managed the feat in 1919. Later years and post-Independence era were dominated by the "Big Three" of Kolkata, Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal. [1]
The current league structure consists of the First Division which has two groups played across two tiers at the senior level. [6] The Second Division and Third Division is held at U19 and U17 level. The top six teams of First Division Group A competes for Premier Hockey League while top four teams of First Division Group B competes for Super Hockey League. [7] From the 2023 season, following the group stage matches, the first division teams move into Premier Hockey League and Placement rounds. The winner of Premier Hockey League round are crowned champions of the league. [8]
| Calcutta Hockey League | |
|---|---|
| Tier | Division |
| I | First Division Group A |
| II | First Division Group B |
| III | Second Division |
| IV | Third Division |
The matches are held at SAI Sports Complex at Salt Lake Stadium, [9] Mohun Bagan Ground and East Bengal Ground.
The results of the Calcutta Hockey League: [1]
Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, it is one of the oldest multi-sports clubs in Asia. The club has various sports departments like football, cricket, hockey, tennis, athletics, eSports etc.
East Bengal Club, commonly referred to as East Bengal, is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is best known for its professional men's football team that competes in the Indian Super League (ISL), the top flight of the Indian football. It is one of the most successful football clubs in the country. The club has other departments for women's football, men's and women's cricket, field hockey, athletics and eSports.
Calcutta Cricket and Football Club is an Indian professional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1792 as a cricket institution, the football and rugby sections were added when it merged with Calcutta Football Club in 1965.
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The Calcutta Football League (CFL) is a ladder-based football competition in the Indian state of West Bengal, organised by Indian Football Association (WB) as part of the state leagues. It is the oldest football league in Asia.
The Beighton Cup is a field hockey tournament organized by Hockey Bengal. Instituted in 1895, it is one of the oldest field hockey tournaments in the world and is held every year in Kolkata.
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Amal Dutta was a former Indian footballer, coach and football manager. Born in Calcutta, then Bengal Presidency, he is considered as the first professional football coach in the country. A finest thinker of the sport, Dutta had a rivalry with Pradip Kumar Banerjee during his coaching days in Kolkata club football.
Dalhousie Athletic Club is an Indian professional sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal, best known for its football section. It was established in 1880, during the British rule in India. Dalhousie has competed in the Premier Division of Calcutta Football League for a long time.
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Samar "Badru" Banerjee was an Indian footballer who played primarily as a striker for the India national football team. He captained India at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, where they achieved fourth place.
George Telegraph Sports Club is an Indian football based in Kolkata, West Bengal, that competes in the Calcutta Football League, the top tier state football league in West Bengal. The club plays all their home matches at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium. They have also competed in the I-League 2nd Division, the second tier of Indian football league system.
Eastern Railway Football Club is an Indian institutional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. The club was incorporated in 1882. Its widely known football team has mostly competed in CFL Premier Division B.
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Wari Athletic Club is a professional multi-sports club based in the city of Kolkata, West Bengal. It currently competes in the Premier division of the Calcutta Football League.
Bengal Nagpur Railway Football Club is an Indian institutional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1929, the club competes in the Premier Division B of the Calcutta Football League.
East Bengal Club is an Indian professional field hockey club located in Kolkata, West Bengal. It participates in various tournaments conducted by Hockey Bengal. The team plays its home matches mostly at the East Bengal Ground and also at the SAI Sports Complex at Salt Lake Stadium.
Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional field hockey club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It participates in various tournaments conducted by Hockey Bengal. The team plays its home matches mostly at the Mohun Bagan Ground and also at the SAI Sports Complex at Salt Lake Stadium. The club participates in the Calcutta Hockey League and the Beighton Cup. The team have won 41 major state titles which includes 25 CHL and 14 Beighton Cup titles.
Calcutta Customs Club is an Indian institutional multi-sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. It is best known for its football section, which competes in the Calcutta Football League.
