LEH, Jul 24: Royal Enfield Social Mission has announced the inaugural Challengers’ Cup, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to strengthen the ice hockey ecosystem in the Himalayas. Scheduled to be held from August 1 to 6, 2026, at the Nawang Dorjay Stobdan (NDS) Stadium in Leh, the tournament will provide a new competitive platform for emerging ice hockey players from Ladakh and Spiti.
The tournament will bring together promising players identified through the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League and the Spiti Cup, who will compete alongside two established institutional teams—the Indian Army Ice Hockey Team and the Central Ice Hockey Team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Three newly formed regional teams—Leh Kings, Kargil Warriors and Spiti Titans—will represent local talent in the competition.
The Leh Kings will be led by Karma Rigyal Stein, captain of the Season 3 champions Kangs Sing, with former tournament MVP Mushtaque Ahmad Giri in the squad. The Kargil Warriors will feature Waseem Bilal, the top scorer and assistant captain of last season’s champions, along with Sajjad Hussain, captain of runner-up Purig Warriors. The Spiti Titans will be anchored by Tanzin Dorje from the Pin Zone, who emerged as the second-highest scorer in the recent Spiti Cup.
The round-robin tournament will include dedicated training sessions for the civilian teams in addition to league matches, with the championship final scheduled for August 6. The initiative aims to provide young players with valuable exposure by competing against experienced institutional teams while enhancing their technical and competitive skills.
Speaking about the initiative, Vigyat Singh, Director, Eicher Group Foundation, said the Challengers’ Cup represents another step in Royal Enfield’s long-term commitment to developing ice hockey in the Himalayas. He noted that the tournament creates additional opportunities for competitive play and year-round player development while demonstrating how the newly inaugurated all-season artificial ice rink in Leh can support training and competitions beyond the traditional winter season.
Royal Enfield said the initiative builds on the success of its grassroots ice hockey programme, which attracted more than 34,000 community members during the previous season. Over the past three seasons, the Royal Enfield Ice Hockey League has emerged as one of India’s leading community-driven sporting platforms, nurturing talent across Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Sham, Shakar Chiktan, Zanskar, Changthang, and Lahaul & Spiti.
Working in partnership with the Ice Hockey Associations of Ladakh and Lahaul & Spiti and local communities, Royal Enfield Social Mission reaffirmed its commitment to creating a sustainable sporting ecosystem that enables Himalayan athletes to excel at national and international levels.