International Kabaddi Federation to stage World Cup and launch women's franchise league

The International Kabaddi Federation held its first Executive Committee meeting in Hyderabad on Sunday and announced plans to stage a Kabaddi World Cup and to launch a franchise-based women's league. Officials said the women's competition will be modelled on the Pro Kabaddi League.

IKF president Kasani Gnaneshwar framed the moves as part of a wider push for greater international recognition, saying the federation aims for kabaddi's inclusion in the 2036 Olympic Games and the 2030 Commonwealth Games. He added that higher global profile would encourage more people to take up the sport and prompt countries to allocate dedicated funds for development.

Gnaneshwar pointed to India's role in raising standards abroad and called for similar progress elsewhere. “Iran was not this good at kabaddi before. India sent the coaches there; they worked hard there, and now they are good enough to compete with India. Similarly, we need other countries to also develop, for the good of the sport,” he said.

Representatives from Australia, Egypt, Turkmenistan, Canada, Kenya, Denmark, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Netherlands and England attended the meeting in Hyderabad. The gathering was the IKF's first Executive Committee session.

Gnaneshwar also said that 62 new countries have joined the IKF as members.

Countries keen on hosting the World Cup have been invited to submit proposals. The IKF is targeting eight teams for the inaugural franchise-based women's league.