The Pro Wrestling League (PWL), which had paused due to the pandemic, is set to make a comeback in January 2026. This season, the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will directly oversee player and franchise payments to ensure financial transparency and stability. Each team will have a purse of two crore rupees. The league's dates will be announced soon.
The WFI has clarified there will be no discrimination against wrestlers who protested against former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, allowing them to register for the auction.
Previously, the league's organization rights were granted to ProSportify on an annual royalty basis, but controversies arose over timely TDS filings and royalty payments. In June 2022, WFI purchased all rights from ProSportify for 30 crore rupees.
New chairman and promoter Dayan Faruqui signed a deal with WFI President Sanjay Singh. Now, all rights have been transferred to ONO Media. Sanjay Singh stated at a press conference, 'From past experiences, we have learned, and this time, WFI will control all payments. Wrestlers are welcome, and there will be no discrimination.'
Source: aajtak
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh was also present at the occasion. He commented, 'While I am not in any official role now, I am still a sports enthusiast. I was invited, so I am here.' He added, 'It makes no sense to criticize past organizers; every project has disagreements, but we have always prioritized player interests.'
2026
Akhil Gupta, CEO of PWL, mentioned that there will be six franchises in the first season, with matches held in Delhi. Future seasons will expand to other cities. Each team will comprise nine wrestlers—four women and five Indian men, with the remaining four being foreign players. The league will span 18 days and feature nine Olympic weight categories in both men's freestyle and women's divisions. This time, Greco-Roman style is not included.
Brij Bhushan shared past advice against inviting top foreign wrestlers to ensure Indian wins, advice which he dismissed. He said, 'When our wrestlers compete with Olympians and World Champions, the fear vanishes. This confidence is essential and will continue forward.'
