Fourteen nations to contest inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad

The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India has announced that 14 nations will compete in the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship from 21st to 31st October, 2026 at Veer Savarkar Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, following India’s double gold in men’s and women’s kabaddi at the 20th edition of the Asian Games 2026.

AKFI named a 17-player probable squad for a practice camp ahead of the tournament and omitted all 12 star players who travelled to Japan for the Asian Games 2026 and won a gold medal for the country.

Australian Kabaddi has launched the AusKabaddi team, which will take part in the inaugural championship, while Bangladesh is listed as a serious contender based on their impressive performance in Dhaka.

The AKFI framed the tournament as an opportunity to support kabaddi’s case for inclusion at the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, a request made by the Indian Olympic Association for kabaddi to be a main event in the program.

India have been tasked with hosting the next edition of the Commonwealth Games; the event will be held in 2030, and the same venue — Veer Savarkar Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujarat — is scheduled to host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games four years later.

The inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship will take place from 21st to 31st October, 2026 at Veer Savarkar Stadium, Ahmedabad, Gujarat.