PKL Season 12 announces new format with golden raid and play-ins

PKL Season 12 starts August 29 with 108 matches, introducing Golden Raid tie-breakers, simplified points, and play-ins in playoffs, ensuring decisive results, intensified competition, and more thrilling kabaddi action for fans

Hyderabad: The Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), on Friday, announced significant format changes for Season 12 starting from August 29 and to be held in Vizag, Jaipur, Chennai, and Delhi, introducing an enhanced league stage and revamped play-off structure designed to intensify competition and provide fans with more thrilling kabaddi action.

The upcoming season will feature an exciting league stage with 108 matches, where each team will play 18 matches.

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Season 12 also introduces a comprehensive tie-breaker rule system, including the Golden Raid format, to all league-stage matches. Previously limited only to playoff matches, this system now ensures decisive outcomes throughout the tournament.

In case of ties, teams will engage in a structured five-raid shootout with special rules as follows: both teams field seven players with the baulk line treated as baulk line cum bonus line; each team nominates five different raiders who raid alternately; out and revival rules don’t apply — only points scored count. If still tied after five raids, the Golden Raid rule applies.

The Golden Raid format adds drama to crucial moments, where a fresh toss determines which team gets the decisive raiding opportunity. If both teams remain tied after golden raids, the winner is decided by a toss.

This new rule maintains PKL’s competitive spirit while eliminating tied results, guaranteeing decisive outcomes and heightened drama in every match.

As part of efforts to enhance clarity and accessibility for fans, the Pro Kabaddi League has simplified its points system for the upcoming season. Teams will now be awarded two points for a win and no points for a loss.

This season will see the introduction of play-ins alongside a revamped playoffs structure. For the first time, the top eight teams from the league stage will have the chance to qualify for the playoffs, opening up opportunities for more franchises to compete for the trophy. At the same time, the play-ins ensure that every league-stage position carries greater weight, making each match more crucial than ever.

Under the new structure, teams finishing 5th to 8th will battle in play-in matches, with the winners progressing to the eliminators. Teams finishing 3rd and 4th will face off in a mini-qualifier. The winner moves ahead, while the loser still gets another chance later in the playoffs.

The top two league-stage teams (1st and 2nd) will meet in Qualifier 1, with the winner going directly to the final. The losing team will have another shot at the final via Qualifier 2. The playoffs journey will now flow through three eliminators and two qualifiers, ensuring a thrilling build-up to the final showdown.