Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medallist Casey Kaufhold will make her Archery Premier League debut in Hyderabad as 12 international archers from 10 countries join the second season of the tournament beginning October 8.
The second edition of the Archery Premier League will bring together 48 athletes across six region-based franchises. The 11-day tournament is being positioned as an important platform for international and Indian archers to compete in a high-profile professional league format.
Kaufhold, representing the United States, will compete in the APL for the first time. The 20-year-old Olympic medallist will join a strong international field featuring Olympic medallists, world champions and leading-ranked archers.
Kaufhold won a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics and is now set to bring her experience to India's growing professional archery competition.
Her participation is one of the biggest additions to the second season.
Olympic Champions Return
Kaufhold will be joined by several established names in international archery.
Turkey's Mete Gazoz, the men's individual Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020, and Mexico's Alejandra Valencia, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist, are returning after competing in the inaugural APL season.
Their presence gives the second season an additional Olympic pedigree and increases the quality of competition for Indian participants.
World No.1s In Field
The international field also includes leading athletes from the current world rankings.
The returning contingent features Mike Schloesser, a reigning World Games individual champion and world No. 2, and Andrea Becerra, the world No. 1 in her category.
Season-one standout Mathias Fullerton, a 2025 World Championship silver medallist and world No. 1, will also return.
Mexico's 22-year-old Matias Grande and Spain's Elia Canales are among the other international names confirmed for the competition.
New Stars Join League
Several international archers will make their APL debuts alongside Kaufhold.
Colombia's Alejandra Usquiano, ranked No. 3 in compound archery, and Brazil's Marcus D'Almeida, currently ranked No. 1, are among the new overseas additions.
Great Britain's Ella Gibson, who helped Rajputana Royals win the inaugural season, will return for Season 2. World No. 5 compound archer Nico Wiener is also set to compete.
48 Athletes, Six Franchises
The second APL season will feature 48 athletes divided across six region-based franchises.
The tournament is an initiative of the Archery Association of India and is being held with the support of the Telangana government. The organisers are seeking to establish India as an important destination on the international archery calendar.
The presence of international stars is also expected to give Indian archers greater exposure to elite competition.
New Shot-Clock Challenge
The APL's distinctive format will again include a 15-second shot clock, creating an additional test of concentration and decision-making.
Kaufhold said the time limit would be a new challenge but welcomed a format that demands focus, composure and confidence with every shot.
The faster format is designed to add pressure and entertainment while testing how archers perform under strict time constraints.
Hyderabad Hosts Season 2
The second season of the Archery Premier League will begin in Hyderabad on October 8, 2026, with the competition scheduled to run for 11 days.
The organisers believe the combination of Olympic medallists, world champions and India's leading archers can strengthen the country's position in international archery.
For Indian athletes, the tournament will provide an opportunity to compete directly against some of the world's leading performers on home soil.
TOURNAMENT TAKEAWAY
The arrival of Casey Kaufhold, alongside returning Olympic medallists Mete Gazoz and Alejandra Valencia and several world-ranked stars, gives Archery Premier League Season 2 a strong international profile.
With 12 overseas archers from 10 countries, 48 athletes and six franchises, the Hyderabad tournament is set to be one of India's major professional archery events of 2026.
Tournament: Archery Premier League Season 2
Venue: Hyderabad
Start Date: October 8, 2026
Duration: 11 days
Athletes: 48
International Archers: 12 from 10 countries
Franchises: Six
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