Ahmedabad, Oct 21 — Ahmedabad will host the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship from October 23 to 31, with 13 nations and more than 400 athletes set to compete across the men’s and women’s categories at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) with the approval of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), the nine-day tournament will feature 23 squads and 62 matches, comprising 39 in the men’s competition and 23 in the women’s category. The championship will crown the first Commonwealth champions in both events.
The tournament was formally unveiled at a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday, where organisers announced the Indian teams’ captains and vice-captains, besides unveiling the official jersey, anthem, logo and mascot
Surjeet Singh will captain the Indian men’s team, with Naveen Kumar named vice-captain. Nidhi Sharma will lead the women’s side, with Ritu serving as vice-captain.
The participating nations are India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Scotland and Australia.
The semifinals in both categories are scheduled for October 30, with the finals to be held on October 31.
The inaugural edition is expected to provide a platform for expanding kabaddi’s international reach and strengthening its prospects for potential inclusion in the Commonwealth Games. With Ahmedabad scheduled to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, the championship will also offer the city an opportunity to demonstrate its ability to stage international sporting events.
“It is a proud moment for Indian kabaddi to host the first Commonwealth Championship in Ahmedabad. We look forward to welcoming the participating teams and showcasing the spirit, skill and competitive intensity of the sport on an international stage,” said Jitendra Pran Singh Thakur, general secretary of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India.
Tejasvi Gehlot, general secretary of the International Kabaddi Federation, said the competition would help broaden the sport’s international footprint.
“The inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship marks an important step in expanding kabaddi’s international presence. Bringing national teams from across the Commonwealth together will give athletes a new platform to showcase their abilities and introduce the sport to a wider global audience,” Gehlot said.
The championship will be held under the theme “One Breath. One Raid. One Commonwealth.”