ASMITA Rugby League- Nationals set to be held in Odisha on Jan 31 & Feb 1
Bhubaneswar, Jan 30(UNI) The inaugural edition of ASMITA Rugby League – National, a women-only national rugby competition, will take place on January 31 and February 1, 2026, at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, featuring the country’s top-performing State teams across senior and age-group categories.
The tournament is being held under the Sports Authority of India’s ASMITA initiative, a flagship programme under the Khelo India scheme for women’s sports, with the Indian Rugby Football Union organising it with the support of the Department of Sports & Youth Services (DSYS), Government of Odisha, and the Odisha Rugby Football Association.
The National League marks the culmination of a six-month-long, multi-tiered competitive structure aimed at strengthening women’s rugby pathways across the country.
The National League will feature the top eight State teams, qualified through Rugby India’s Senior, Junior (U18), and Sub-Junior (U15) National Rugby Sevens Championships (2025-26).
In total, 24 teams comprising 336 players and team officials will participate, making it one of the largest women’s rugby events conducted in the country.
During the current season, 49 city-level ASMITA leagues and two zonal leagues have already been conducted across the country, with participation from over 8,771 athletes across 858 teams, reflecting the rapid expansion of structured rugby opportunities for women and girls.
Speaking ahead of the National League, Rahul Bose, President, Indian Rugby Football Union, said,
“ASMITAhas emerged as one of the most impactful women’s sports initiatives in the country.
The scale of participation we’ve seen this year – from city leagues to zonal competitions- shows how deeply the programme is resonating on the ground.
We are grateful to the Government of Odisha and Sports Odisha for their continued support and for providing excellent facilities at Kalinga Stadium, which enable the smooth conduct of consecutive national-level competitions.
The National League in Bhubaneswar will celebrate the high-quality women’s teams in the country while underlining the strength of the pathway we are building for women and girls in rugby.”
The ASMITA Rugby League – National will feature two days of competitive action and adds to the series of national rugby events being hosted in Odisha during the current season, further supporting athlete development through regular high-level competition.
This competition is set to take place less than two weeks after the successful conclusion of the Sub-Junior National Rugby Sevens Championships (U-15 Boys & Girls) held at the same venue from January 16-21, 2026, which featured teams from 24 States and Union Territories.
