Ahmedabad to host inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship from October 23
Thirteen nations will compete in men's and women's kabaddi at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
· 2 min read
Ahmedabad will host the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. Thirteen nations and more than 400 athletes will compete across 62 matches.
Key takeaways
- The inaugural championship runs from October 23 to 31 in Ahmedabad.
- Thirteen nations will take part, including India, England, Australia and Canada.
- India's men are captained by Surjeet Singh; the women are led by Nidhi Sharma.
- The tournament features 62 matches, with finals on October 31.
- Matches will stream live on JioHotstar and air on Star Sports.
Ahmedabad is set to host the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India with approval from the International Kabaddi Federation, the nine-day tournament will bring together 13 nations for men's and women's competition.
What we know
The championship will feature 23 squads and more than 400 athletes competing across 62 matches. There will be 39 men's matches and 23 women's matches, and the tournament will crown the first Commonwealth champions in both categories. The participating nations are India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Scotland and Australia.
India's men's team will be captained by Surjeet Singh, with Naveen Kumar as vice-captain. Nidhi Sharma will lead the women's team, with Ritu serving as vice-captain. The championship was formally unveiled at a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday, where the official jersey, team captains, anthem, logo and mascot were revealed.
The semifinals in both categories will take place on October 30, followed by the finals on October 31. The event is held under the theme One Breath. One Raid. One Commonwealth.
It is a proud moment for Indian kabaddi to host the first Commonwealth Championship in Ahmedabad.
What happens next
Spectators can watch the matches at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex free of charge, with prior online registration through Thumpn. Fans can also watch the championship live on JioHotstar, with television coverage on Star Sports. The tournament is expected to strengthen kabaddi's case for potential inclusion in the Commonwealth Games, while giving Ahmedabad a chance to showcase its capacity to host international sporting events ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship marks an important step in expanding kabaddi's international presence.
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