New Delhi, July 31 (NationPress) In a significant advancement for India’s squash aspirations, particularly with the sport's inclusion in the LA 2028 Olympics, the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) unveiled the India Squash Tour 2025-26 on Thursday. This tour features a record-setting prize purse and broader global opportunities.

The tour has been extended to six cities, and the Professional Squash Association (PSA) Challenger Tour series will introduce top-tier competition to Indian players, providing essential PSA ranking points, increased prize money, and a robust platform for local athletes to succeed on the international stage.

Following the tremendous success of its inaugural season, which saw Indian players enhance their PSA rankings significantly, the updated 2025–26 tour will now include Jaipur, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Delhi, with the last two cities newly incorporated into the roster.

The revamped tour boasts a historic prize pool and improved format: one PSA Challenger 15K event (Chennai); two PSA Challenger 9K events (Jaipur, Mumbai); and three PSA Challenger 6K events (Delhi, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad).

Notably, all tournaments will offer equal prize money for both men and women, with champions receiving USD 15,000, 9,000, or 6,000, depending on the event's tier. Each tournament will follow a 24-player knockout format, granting byes to the top eight seeds into the second round. The tour is open to PSA-registered players aged 15 and older.

This announcement comes during an extraordinary period for Indian squash. In July 2025, Anahat Singh, who started her PSA journey in January 2024 ranked 129, soared to World No. 54 and earned a historic bronze at the World Junior Squash Championships. Other remarkable performances include Abhay Singh climbing from the 200s to a career-best World No. 35; Ramit Tandon (No. 28), Velavan Senthil Kumar (No. 39), Veer Chotrani (No. 62), and Tanvi Khanna (No. 69) all making significant strides in global rankings.

Supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sports Authority of India, this tour aims to attract new players into the PSA circuit with USD 3,000 purses.

Cyrus Poncha, Secretary General of the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI), expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Sports Authority of India, and their partner HCL, stating, “Their support since 2016 has been crucial in nurturing Indian squash talent. Their contributions have led to remarkable progress, from enhancing global rankings to achieving historic victories. The increased prize money and expanded tournament opportunities this year will further accelerate development, allowing more players to gain exposure, earn PSA points, and prepare for prestigious international events, including the Olympics.”

Rajat Chandolia, Associate Vice President and Head of Brand at HCL Group, added, “This year, we have elevated the events to higher tiers so that Indian players can acquire valuable PSA points and compete against tougher international opponents without needing to travel abroad. With squash set to debut at the 2028 Olympics, we are committed to establishing a structured pipeline that supports Indian players as they succeed on the global stage. Our ongoing partnership with SRFI aims to enhance every aspect of squash in India.”

Here is the schedule for the Squash India Tour 2025-26:

1. Jaipur - August 4-8 (Sawai Man Singh Stadium)

2. Mumbai - September 8-12

3. Bengaluru - September 26-31

4. Chennai - December 1-5

5. Ahmedabad - January 27-31, 2026

6. Delhi - February 3-7, 2026.