Pak govt blocks team from C'wealth Kabaddi C'ship 2026 in Ahmedabad

The International Kabaddi Federation has confirmed that Pakistan will not participate in the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad after their government denied travel permission for the athletes.

International Kabaddi Federation General Secretary Tejasvi Gehlot (Photo: ANI)

Tejasvi Gehlot, who is the General Secretary of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) has confirmed that Pakistan athletes will not participate in the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 in Ahmedabad after the Pakistani government did not permit them to travel to India. Speaking about the championship, Gehlot said the organisers had completed the required paperwork, but were informed that Pakistani athletes would not be able to attend the tournament. "The Pakistani government hasn't allowed their athletes to travel to our country. I don't know the reason, but our government permitted, and we sent them all the paperwork. However, we got an intimation that they won't be able to come," Gehlot said.

Championship's Crucial Role in Commonwealth Games Bid

He said Ahmedabad was selected as the venue for the first-ever Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship as the city is a Commonwealth host city. He also highlighted the importance of the tournament in the effort to include kabaddi as a medal event in the Commonwealth Games. "You will see a lot of countries participating in this tournament here. Because Ahmedabad is a Commonwealth host city, it was the perfect venue for us to come back and hold the Commonwealth Championship here. So, to get included as a medal event for the next games, we needed to come to Ahmedabad. This is the first-ever Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, and the reason for doing it is that, you know, there are five criteria that we have to fulfil to include any sport or game in CWG," he said.

Inaugural Tournament Details

Ahmedabad is set to host the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, bringing together 13 nations for nine days of international competition in men’s and women’s kabaddi, according to a release.

Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI), with the approval of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), the championship will feature 23 squads and more than 400 athletes competing across 62 matches, including 39 men’s matches and 23 women’s matches. The tournament will crown the first Commonwealth champions in both categories.

The championship was formally unveiled at a curtain-raiser press conference on Wednesday, where the official jersey, team captains, anthem, logo and mascot were revealed.

India’s men’s team will be captained by Surjeet Singh, with Naveen Kumar as vice-captain. Nidhi Sharma will lead the women’s team, with Ritu serving as vice-captain.

The participating nations are India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Scotland and Australia.

The semifinals in both categories will take place on October 30, followed by the finals on October 31.

Officials Hail 'Important Step' for Kabaddi

The inaugural championship is expected to provide fresh impetus to kabaddi’s international growth and strengthen the sport’s case for potential inclusion in the Commonwealth Games. With Ahmedabad set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, the tournament also offers an opportunity to showcase the city’s capacity to host international sporting events and introduce kabaddi to a wider global audience, the release said.

Speaking at the press conference, Jitendra Pran Singh Thakur, General Secretary, Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, said, “It is a proud moment for Indian kabaddi to host the first Commonwealth Championship in Ahmedabad. We look forward to welcoming the participating teams and showcasing the spirit, skill and competitive intensity of the sport on an international stage.”

Tejasvi Gehlot said, “The inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship marks an important step in expanding kabaddi’s international presence. Bringing national teams from across the Commonwealth together will give athletes a new platform to showcase their abilities and introduce the sport to a wider global audience. The championship will be held under the theme “One Breath. One Raid. One Commonwealth.” (ANI)

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