Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: format, teams and India's record
India won the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship by beating Sri Lanka 54–20 in the final.
India won the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad, defeating Sri Lanka 54–20 in the final. The event featured 13 nations, 23 squads and 62 matches across nine days.
Key takeaways
- India won the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad.
- India beat Sri Lanka 54–20 in the men's final.
- The championship ran from October 23 to 31 at Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.
- Thirteen nations took part across men's and women's competitions.
- India's men were captained by Surjeet Singh, with Naveen Kumar as vice-captain.
India won the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad, beating Sri Lanka 54–20 in the men’s final.
The tournament ran from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex and featured 13 nations, 23 squads and more than 400 athletes competing across 62 matches, including 39 men’s matches and 23 women’s matches.
Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India with the approval of the International Kabaddi Federation, the championship crowned the first Commonwealth champions in both categories.
When and where is it?
Ahmedabad hosted the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. It was the first edition of the competition, held to promote kabaddi towards possible inclusion in the main Commonwealth Games programme. The semifinals in both categories took place on October 30, followed by the finals on October 31.
Who is taking part?
The participating nations were India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Scotland and Australia. India’s men’s team was captained by Surjeet Singh, with Naveen Kumar as vice-captain. Nidhi Sharma led the women’s team, with Ritu serving as vice-captain. The official jersey, team captains, anthem, logo and mascot were revealed at a curtain-raiser press conference on October 21.
Why it matters
India is the most successful national kabaddi side in history, having secured gold medals at the Asian Games in nine out of ten editions since the sport’s inclusion in 1990.
The team has won all three Kabaddi World Cup editions in 2004, 2007 and 2016, defeating Iran in each final, and also won the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup organised by World Kabaddi, defeating England 44–41 in the final.
India has won the Asian Kabaddi Championship eight times across nine men’s editions. The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India was established in 1972 and governs the national team.
What happens next
The inaugural championship is expected to provide fresh impetus to kabaddi’s international growth and strengthen the sport’s case for potential inclusion in the Commonwealth Games.
With Ahmedabad set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, the tournament also offers an opportunity to showcase the city’s capacity to host international sporting events and introduce kabaddi to a wider global audience.
Jitendra Pran Singh Thakur, General Secretary of the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, said it was a proud moment for Indian kabaddi to host the first Commonwealth Championship in Ahmedabad.
India's major kabaddi titles
Competition | Edition | Result |
|---|---|---|
Kabaddi World Cup | 2004, 2007, 2016 | Won all three editions |
Kabaddi World Cup | 2025 | Beat England 44–41 |
Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship | 2026 | Beat Sri Lanka 54–20 |
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