After 108 games in the league phase, the 2025 Pro Kabaddi League season heads into its playoffs, starting on Saturday. Eight of the 12 teams have qualified for the playoffs. 108 matches for that, you ask? Well, wait. It only gets more complicated. The playoff system has been completely revamped with the addition of two more teams into it. Here's how the 2025 PKL playoff will work:
First, let's keep things simple: one of Dabang Delhi and Puneri Paltan, who finished first and second in the league stage, will contest the final on October 31. They will face off in 'Qualifier 1' to decide who sails through to the final.
Qualifier 1: Dabang Delhi vs Puneri Paltan - October 27
It's a whole rigmarole to decide who the other team will be in the final.
For the loser of Q1, the equation is simple - beat the team that emerges from the bracket of 3rd vs 4th vs 5th vs 6th vs 7th vs 8th , and they'll reach the final too. Effectively, we have two games to decide the finalists of PKL 12 - qualifier 1 (Q1) and qualifier 2 (Q2).
Now, this is where things get complicated, and it requires flowcharts:
Bracket of 3rd vs 4th vs 5th vs 6th vs 7th vs 8th
Let's start from the bottom with the play-in bracket. It's a winner-takes-all contest, with no second chances for the losers.
Play-in 1: Haryana Steelers vs Jaipur Pink Panthers - October 25
Play-in 2: U Mumba vs Patna Pirates - October 25
Lose, and you are done. Win, and you move onto Eliminators.
Eliminator 1 is simple enough - it's a contest between the winners of the two play-in games. It is also a winner-takes-all contest, with the loser eliminated.
Eliminator 1: Winner of P1(Haryana Steelers / Jaipur Pink Panthers) vs Winner of P2 (U Mumba / Patna Pirates) - October 26
At the same time, the teams who finished third and fourth will face off in a mini-qualifier. The loser still stays alive.
Mini-Qualifier: Bengaluru Bulls vs Telugu Titans - October 26
The winner of E1 then faces the loser of the mini-qualifier the next day in Eliminator 2.
Elminator 2: Winner of Eliminator 1 (Haryana Steelers / U Mumba / Patna Pirates / Jaipur Pink Panthers) vs Loser of Mini-Qualifier (Bengaluru Bulls / Telugu Titans) - October 27
The winner of Eliminator 2 then moves onto another eliminator (Eliminator 3), where they will face the winner of the mini-qualifier.
Eliminator 3: Winner of Mini-Qualifier (3rd/4th) vs Winner of Eliminator 2 (3rd/4th/5th/6th/7th/8th) - October 28
This contest effectively decides who will face the loser of Dabang Delhi vs Puneri Paltan for a shot at the final.
Qualifier 2: Loser of Qualifier 1 (Dabang Delhi / Puneri Paltan) vs Winner of Eliminator 3 (3rd/4th/5th/6th/7th/8th) - October 29
And it then all comes down to the final:
Final: Winner of Q1 (Dabang Delhi / Puneri Paltan) vs Winner of Q2 - October 31
If you are a visual learner, this graphic might help tie it all together: