The Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025 has been relocated to Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad from August 3 to 10. The tournament is returning for its second edition after a gap of 13 years.
Originally the event was set to take place in Rajgir, Bihar in June-July. However, the poll-bound state withdrew from hosting responsibilities. The state had also played host to the first edition of the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in 2012.
Hyderabad, meanwhile, has the carry the experience of major kabaddi events, having hosted the Asian Kabaddi Championship in 2005.
“When Bihar pulled out, we requested the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India to have the event take place in Telangana, and they obliged. We want to encourage women’s kabaddi, even if it doesn’t always get many sponsors. Hyderabad had hosted the Asian Kabaddi Championship in 2005, and now, 20 years later, the city will be hosting another international women’s kabaddi tournament,” Kasani Veeresh, president of the Telangana Kabaddi Association, told reporters.
Conducted by the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) in collaboration with the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will feature 14 teams, including countries from Africa and Latin America, participate in the 10-day tournament.
Apart from host India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Bangladesh, Netherlands, Japan, Poland, Uganda, Kenya, Hungary, Thailand, Nepal, Germany and Argentina are the teams confirmed for the second edition of the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup.
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India are the defending champions after winning the inaugural Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, having beaten Iran 25-19 in the final. Japan and Thailand finished joint-third after losing their respective semi-final matches.
The traditional Indian sport of kabaddi is one of the oldest in the world, coming with a 4000-year history and was showcased as an exhibition sport on the sidelines of the Berlin 1936 Olympics.
