Ancient roots
Played for generations in villages across South Asia, kabaddi needs no equipment, just courage, breath and teamwork.
A first for the Commonwealth
An ancient Indian sport. A family of nations. A city getting ready for the centenary Commonwealth Games. This October, they all meet on one mat.
The championship
The Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 is the first international championship of its kind, bringing national men's and women's teams from across the Commonwealth to compete for continental-scale glory.
Hosted at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad from 21 to 27 October 2026, the championship showcases one of the world's fastest-growing sports to a global audience, both in the arena and online through live scoring and results.
For athletes, it's a chance to make history as the first Commonwealth champions. For fans, it's seven days of non-stop action: raids, tackles, comebacks and the unmistakable chant of "kabaddi, kabaddi".
The sport
Born in India, loved worldwide
Kabaddi combines the strategy of chess with the intensity of wrestling. Its roots go back thousands of years in South Asia, and today it's played professionally around the world.
On the world stage
Kabaddi has featured at the Asian Games since 1990 (men) and 2010 (women), and professional leagues have turned its stars into household names.
A growing Commonwealth
From South Asia to Africa, Europe, the Americas and Oceania, kabaddi is now played in clubs and national programmes across the Commonwealth.
Why Ahmedabad
A city that lives for sport
Amdavad is India's first UNESCO World Heritage City, a hub of culture and enterprise, and the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the centenary edition of the Games.
Venue & city guideUNESCOWorld Heritage City since 2017
2030Commonwealth Games host city
UttarayanThe sky fills with kites each January
NavratriNine nights of garba and colour
The journey
The road to 2030
- 2026
The 1st Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, Ahmedabad.
- Legacy
Coaching clinics, school programmes and pathways to grow kabaddi across member nations.
- Momentum
World-class venues and operations, tested and ready.
- 2030
Ahmedabad hosts the centenary Commonwealth Games.
The emblem
A kite, a raid, a city
The championship identity draws on Ahmedabad's Uttarayan kite festival: a four-coloured kite carrying the "K" of kabaddi, its tail fluttering like a raider's breath. The colours of bandhani tie-dye (saffron, rani pink, royal blue and peacock teal) celebrate the energy of Gujarat and the diversity of the Commonwealth.
Placeholder emblem, to be replaced with the official championship mark.
Organisers
The team behind the mat
Organising CommitteeLogo
Host federationLogo
Commonwealth bodyLogo
Host stateLogo
GMS & TSR partnerProTSR