A number of school children also attended a free session last Friday to learn more about this exciting tournament, watch some matches and have the chance to participate in a short game.
The tournaments precede the Kabaddi World Cup 2025 which will make its way to Wolverhampton where we have been awarded the honour of hosting group stage matches in addition to the quarterfinals, semi finals and final. It is the first time the sport’s most prestigious global tournament will be hosted outside of Asia.
The British Kabaddi League was launched in the city in 2022 to mark the prominent role of the Midlands in British Kabaddi, and the first match was played between Wolverhampton Wolfpack and Birmingham Bulls on 9 April, 2022 at WV Active Aldersley.
Kabaddi is the fastest growing sport in South Asia, and the second most popular after cricket. Originating in India some 5,000 years ago, the contact sport sees teams broken down into raiders and blockers, with the aim of scoring points by entering opposition territory, tagging an opponent, and making it back into their own half without being tackled to the ground. It is now played in more than 50 countries, having grown in stature as a mainstream sport.
