Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: India Win Both Men's and Women's Titles in Ahmedabad

What happened

On 31 October 2026, India won both titles at the first-ever Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Both finals were played the same evening at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.

• Women: India beat Uganda 35-15.
• Men: India beat Sri Lanka 54-20.

Neither Indian team lost a match in the tournament. Because this was the inaugural edition, India are the first Commonwealth champions in both categories.

Background

• Why this event: Kabaddi has never been a medal sport at the Commonwealth Games (CWG). It was not on the programme of the Glasgow 2026 Games either. Khel Now points to limited recognition across Commonwealth countries and suggests that a lack of federations in many countries and a relatively weak international federation could also be reasons.
• The 2030 link: Ahmedabad was formally awarded the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the centenary edition, on 26 November 2025 at Commonwealth Sport's General Assembly in Glasgow. On 13 April 2026 Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said kabaddi, mallakhamb, kho-kho and yoga were being considered and that two of them should make the cut (PTI, via ThePrint). In August 2026 ThePrint reported that kabaddi and yoga were still only under consideration, not confirmed.
• Organisers: The championship was organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) with approval from the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF). Telangana Today reported that it was expected to strengthen kabaddi's case for CWG inclusion and to showcase Ahmedabad's hosting capacity.
• Asian Games: Kabaddi has been an Asian Games medal event since 1990 (Khel Now).

Key details

India's captains: men, Surjeet Singh (vice-captain Naveen Kumar); women, Nidhi Sharma (vice-captain Ritu).

Women's final: India 35-15 Uganda. India led 22-7 at half-time. Sakshi top-scored with 9 raid points, Anu added 6 and captain Nidhi Sharma 5. Ritu and Suman took 4 tackle points each. Uganda's Nakayongo Shirat scored 11 of her team's 15 points. Sakshi finished the event with 52 points from six matches. India's women won all six games, including a 73-13 win over Malaysia and a 39-14 semi-final win over Sri Lanka. Uganda reached the final by beating Kenya 23-21.

Men's final: India 54-20 Sri Lanka. India led 30-10 at half-time and inflicted four All-Outs without conceding one. Aditya Shinde scored a Super 10 (10 raid points), Bharat Hooda 8 and Pankaj Mohite 6. Yogesh Dahiya made a High 5 (five tackles from five attempts). India's men won all eight matches, scoring 380 points and conceding 193, and beat Bangladesh 56-27 in the semi-final. Sri Lanka reached the final by beating Kenya 28-24.

Why it matters

• First Commonwealth titles: India are the first champions in both men's and women's kabaddi at Commonwealth level.
• Case for CWG 2030: Holding a 13-nation event in the 2030 host city gives the sport a track record to present for inclusion.
• Women's kabaddi: A 10-team women's draw gave the women's game its own international title alongside the men's.
• Indigenous sport as soft power: Kabaddi is a traditional Indian sport, and spreading it to African, European and Oceanian teams can support India's sports diplomacy.

Issues and criticism

• Uneven contest: Several results were one-sided. In the men's group stage Nigeria ended with a score difference of -273 and Australia with -189 (Pro Kabaddi points table). This shows how far newer kabaddi nations are behind.
• Thin global base: Khel Now suggests that many countries lack a kabaddi federation, which would be a hurdle for inclusion in any multi-sport Games.
• No decision yet: Kabaddi's place at the 2030 Games is still a proposal, not a confirmed event.

Way forward

• Hold the championship regularly so that it becomes a fixed part of the international calendar.
• Help AKFI and IKF set up and train national federations, coaches and referees in emerging kabaddi nations.
• Pursue kabaddi's case with Commonwealth Sport using participation data from this event.

Prelims pointers

• The first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship was held from 23 to 31 October 2026 in Ahmedabad.
• Venue: Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Naranpura, Ahmedabad.
• Organised by AKFI with approval from IKF; 13 nations and 23 squads took part.
• Women's final: India beat Uganda 35-15 (captain Nidhi Sharma).
• Men's final: India beat Sri Lanka 54-20 (captain Surjeet Singh).
• Both Indian teams finished unbeaten.
• Ahmedabad will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the centenary edition.

One-liners for SSC, Banking and Railways

• Host city of the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship: Ahmedabad (2026).
• Winner of both titles: India.
• Runner-up, women's final: Uganda.
• Runner-up, men's final: Sri Lanka.
• Organising federation: Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI).

Practise more sports questions in the weekly current affairs quiz, or see the SSC CGL page for exam updates.

Mains practice question

Q. India hosted and won the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in 2026, ahead of hosting the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Discuss how promoting indigenous sports internationally can serve India's soft power, and the challenges involved. (150 words)

Points to cover:

1. The facts: 13 nations, both titles won by India, Ahmedabad as the 2030 CWG host.
2. Soft power: sharing a traditional sport, people-to-people links and the host-city image.
3. Challenges: weak federations abroad, one-sided matches, and the need for Commonwealth Sport approval.
4. Way forward: a regular championship, capacity building abroad and an evidence-based case for inclusion.