Indian Kabaddi Teams (after winning Asian Games 2026) go into the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship as clear favourites, even though the hosts have left all 12 of their Asian Games gold medalists out of the reckoning. The reason is simple arithmetic: Iran and Chinese Taipei, the sides most capable of troubling India, are not Commonwealth members and will not compete. Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) at Ahmedabad's Veer Savarkar Stadium, the 14-nation men's event doubles as an audition for kabaddi's place at the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Bangladesh are the most credible challengers, Pakistan the wildcard, and the date schedule remains in flux.

What Is the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026?

The Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 is a new international tournament, staged for the first time this year, that brings together national kabaddi teams from Commonwealth countries on a single mat in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The host and organiser is the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, and its real significance lies less in the trophy than in what the event is meant to prove: that kabaddi has the international depth, the organisational backbone and the audience to earn a place on the Commonwealth Games programme.

The core details are set out below. Note that several of them, particularly the dates and the women's competition, are still subject to change.

Why Is a Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship Being Held Now?

Kabaddi has never been a medal sport at the Commonwealth Games, and its absence has been conspicuous. When India hosted the Games in Delhi in 2010, in the sport's own heartland, kabaddi did not even feature as a demonstration event. The most recent edition offered no opening either: the pared-down Glasgow 2026 Games, held from July 23 to Aug. 2 with only 10 sports, left it off the list.

The window opened when Ahmedabad was confirmed as host of the centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030. Where Glasgow ran a lean programme, Ahmedabad 2030 is projected to carry 15 to 17 sports, which leaves room for additions. The Indian Olympic Association has formally sought kabaddi's inclusion as a full medal event, and other indigenous disciplines, including yogasana, mallakhamb and kho-kho, are also in the conversation.

Seen in that light, AKFI's championship is effectively kabaddi's audition. It assembles 14 Commonwealth teams at the very venue earmarked for 2030, roughly two years before the Games programme is likely to be finalised. The stakes cut both ways. A well-organised, well-attended tournament featuring a credible spread of nations will strengthen the case for inclusion. A lopsided competition played in front of sparse crowds will undermine it.

The most persistent objection to kabaddi at multi-sport Games has been the shortage of strong national federations outside South Asia. That is why the presence of teams from Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia may matter as much as who lifts the trophy. Every competitive scoreline from a non-South Asian side is, in effect, evidence submitted to the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Who Is Organising the Event, and Where and When Will It Be Played?

The Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India is both host and organiser. The federation announced the championship shortly after India completed a double gold, in both the men's and women's competitions, at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya in September 2026, using that momentum to push the sport's Commonwealth ambitions.

Matches will be held at the Veer Savarkar Stadium in Ahmedabad, the same facility pencilled in for the 2030 Games. The city is no stranger to international kabaddi: it staged the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, which India won, giving organisers a working template for hosting a multi-nation event.

The schedule, however, has moved more than once. AKFI's sponsorship brochure and early reports pointed to Oct. 10-20. The federation subsequently shifted the window to Oct. 21-31. The most recent update, released with the broadcast announcement on Oct. 13, places the opening day on Oct. 23, with the final unchanged on Oct. 31. Until AKFI publishes a complete fixture list, Oct. 23 should be treated as the likely start date.

Organisers have also unveiled an official logo carrying the words "Amdavad 2026" beneath the tournament name, a deliberate echo of the branding planned for the 2030 Games.

How Can Fans Watch the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship?

The championship will be televised on the Star Sports network, with live streaming on the JioStar app and website. Landing a national broadcaster is a meaningful win in its own right. Outside the Asian Games and the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL), international kabaddi frequently struggles to secure a television partner at all.

Audience numbers will carry weight beyond the commercial. Viewership figures will form part of the case put to the Commonwealth Games Federation, so a strong broadcast performance is as important to kabaddi's 2030 hopes as the quality of play on the mat.

Who Is in India's Squad, and Why Were the Asian Games Stars Left Out?

India are fielding a new-look team. Not one of the 12 players who won Asian Games gold in September, a side captained by Sunil Kumar, appears on the 17-man probables list. Pawan Sehrawat is among the most notable omissions. AKFI's thinking appears to be twofold: to give the Asian Games group a rest, and to hand international exposure to a deep pool of players already battle-tested in the PKL.

The 17 probables named for the national camp are:

The final 12 will be selected after the camp. Labelling this group a "second" team understates it considerably. Naveen Kumar ranks among the most prolific raiders in PKL history. Surjeet Singh and Shubham Shinde are seasoned defensive leaders. Sachin Tanwar and Ajit Chouhan have repeatedly proven themselves as PKL match-winners. In most kabaddi nations, this would be the first-choice lineup.

Who Is Coaching India at the Championship?

India's coaching staff brings exceptional pedigree, which partly offsets the inexperience of the playing group as a unit.

Which 14 Nations Are Taking Part?

The men's field spans six regions: South Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania and Africa are all represented, with East Africa alone contributing three teams. The table below sets out each nation and its standing in the sport.

How Strong Are the Key Contenders?

Bangladesh

Bangladesh arrive in the best form of any side other than India. Their men opened the Asian Games campaign with a narrow 39-35 win over South Korea before falling 48-25 to India in the group stage. On home soil they have been unbeatable, winning every edition of the Bangabandhu Cup since 2021. The women's programme has risen sharply as well, collecting a medal at the 2025 Women's World Cup in Dhaka and a series win over Nepal in July.

Pakistan

Pakistan are named in the field, but their participation on Indian soil comes with a significant caveat. Pakistani teams have often been absent from kabaddi events held in India, and they were barred from the 2016 World Cup in Ahmedabad. Should they make the trip, they will be arriving from a historic low point. At Aichi-Nagoya they lost to Thailand and to Iran (51-30), and missed the Asian Games semi-finals for the first time since kabaddi joined the programme in 1990.

Kenya and the African Contingent

Kenya head the African group and bring the most international experience in the region, including two Bangabandhu Cup finals, in 2021 and 2022. Tanzania and Uganda benefit from an increasingly active African circuit, while Nigeria is at an earlier stage of development.

England, Canada and Australia

All three draw heavily on large South Asian diaspora communities. Canada's traditional strength lies in the circle-style game popular in Punjab, which demands a different skill set from the standard mat format being played in Ahmedabad, so adaptation will be part of their challenge. Australia's AusKabaddi side is brand new and is treating this championship as its launch pad.

Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Singapore

These three enjoy regular regional competition but rarely trouble the top Asian sides. They should be competitive against the developing teams without seriously threatening the favourites.

Who Is Most Likely to Win the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026?

India are overwhelming favourites, Bangladesh are the only side with a realistic path to an upset, and Pakistan are the wildcard. The tiers below represent an editorial judgment based on recent results and squad depth, not bookmaker odds.

Why Is India's 'B Team' Still the Team to Beat?

Leaving out all 12 Asian Games gold medallists looks, at first glance, like a gamble. In reality, India's bench is stronger than almost every other nation's first team. The Asian Games side beat Bangladesh 48-25 in September, and most of the replacements are PKL regulars who face opposition of that calibre week in, week out.

Three further factors tilt the balance. First, Iran is absent, and Iran has been the only team to consistently push India in recent years. Second, India are playing at home, on a mat and in conditions their players know intimately. Third, Udaya Kumar has steered India to multiple world and Asian titles, while Manjeet Chhillar adds specialist defensive expertise.

The risks are genuine but contained. This squad has barely played together, the camp is short, and the late date changes have compressed preparation. A thin raiding unit behind Naveen Kumar could be exposed in a tight knockout match. Even so, a defeat to any opponent would rank as a major shock.

Can Bangladesh Reach the Final, and Can They Win It?

On paper, Bangladesh are the clear second-best team in the field. They beat South Korea at the Asian Games and dominate their home circuit with four straight Bangabandhu Cup titles. They are disciplined in defence and possess experienced raiders capable of grinding out points.

Their difficulty is the size of the gap to India. In Aichi they trailed 29-9 at half-time before producing a better second half. To take the title, Bangladesh would need India to have an off day in the final, combined with a strong defensive game plan that keeps all-outs to a minimum. The reasonable expectation: Bangladesh in the final, starting as underdogs.

What Are Pakistan's Chances if They Travel?

Pakistan have the pedigree to beat anyone in the field except India. Their record includes two Asian Games silvers, seven bronzes and runner-up finishes to India in four Circle Kabaddi World Cups. But confidence is low after defeats to Thailand and Iran in Japan.

The bigger question is whether they will play at all. Bilateral sport between India and Pakistan remains politically sensitive, and Pakistan were barred from the 2016 World Cup held in this same city. If they do compete, a Pakistan-Bangladesh semi-final would likely be the most evenly matched contest of the tournament. Beyond the mat, their presence or absence will also shape how the event is read diplomatically, given that Ahmedabad will host the full Commonwealth Games in 2030.

How Will the Rest of the Field Fare?

Kenya are the pick of the remaining teams and could win a knockout match against a lower-ranked Asian side. England, Sri Lanka and Malaysia have enough experience to reach the quarter-finals if the format allows, but lack the depth to unsettle India or Bangladesh. For Australia, Canada, Scotland, Singapore and the remaining African teams, competitive scorelines and development matter more than results, and those scorelines will feed directly into the argument for kabaddi's future at the Commonwealth Games.

What Should Fans and Stakeholders Watch For?

The most likely final is India vs Bangladesh, with India winning. The two biggest variables are whether Pakistan arrive and how quickly India's new combination gels. Any other champion would be a genuine upset. For those following the event closely, the key markers are:

• The official fixture list from AKFI, which should finally settle whether play starts on Oct. 23 or earlier, and whether the women's event goes ahead.
• Pakistan's travel status, which will reshape the semi-final picture and carries political weight beyond sport.
• India's raiding depth beyond Naveen Kumar, the clearest pressure point for a squad assembled at short notice.
• Scorelines involving African, European, North American and Oceanian sides, since competitive results outside South Asia answer the main objection to kabaddi's Commonwealth Games inclusion.
• Crowds and Star Sports/JioStar viewership, which will form part of the case put to the Commonwealth Games Federation ahead of Ahmedabad 2030.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026?

Most reports give the dates as Oct. 21-31, 2026. The latest update, issued with the broadcast announcement on Oct. 13, says play starts on Oct. 23, with the final on Oct. 31. The event was originally scheduled for Oct. 10-20, and AKFI has yet to publish a full fixture list.

Where is the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship being held?

The championship is being played at the Veer Savarkar Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, the venue earmarked for the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Ahmedabad previously hosted the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup, which India won.

How many teams are playing in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship?

The men's competition features 14 Commonwealth nations: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Nigeria. A women's event of 8 teams on Oct. 22-27 has been reported in one listing but is not yet confirmed by AKFI.

Where can I watch the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026?

The tournament is broadcast on the Star Sports network in India, with live streaming on the JioStar app and website.

Why are Iran not playing in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship?

Iran and Chinese Taipei are not Commonwealth nations, so they are not eligible. Their absence removes India's most consistent recent challenger and is the main reason India start as clear favourites despite fielding a second-string squad.

Is Pawan Sehrawat playing for India at the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship?

No. None of the 12 Asian Games gold medallists from September 2026, including captain Sunil Kumar and Pawan Sehrawat, is in India's 17-man probables list. The squad is coached by J. Udaya Kumar, with Manjeet Chhillar and Rohit Kumar as assistants.

Is Pakistan taking part in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in India?

Pakistan are named among the 14 nations, but their participation is uncertain. Pakistani teams have often been absent from kabaddi events in India and were barred from the 2016 World Cup in Ahmedabad. They also missed the Asian Games semi-finals in 2026 for the first time since 1990.

Who is favourite to win the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026?

India are overwhelming favourites, with Bangladesh the most likely finalist and only realistic upset threat. Pakistan are the wildcard if they travel. The most likely final is India vs Bangladesh, with India winning.

Will kabaddi be included in the 2030 Commonwealth Games?

Not yet decided. The Indian Olympic Association has asked for kabaddi to be a full medal event at Ahmedabad 2030, which is projected to carry 15 to 17 sports. This championship acts as a test event, roughly two years before the programme is likely to be locked.