Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship: India win both titles in Ahmedabad

India won both titles at the first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship in Ahmedabad on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The men's team beat Sri Lanka 54-20 in the final, with raider Aditya Shinde scoring a Super 10, ten raid points from 14 raids. Earlier in the evening, India's women beat Uganda 35-15 to win the women's title. Both Indian teams went through the tournament unbeaten. The nine-day event ran from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. Sri Lanka took silver in the men's event and Uganda silver in the women's.

Kabaddi is a sport India knows better than any other country, so winning was expected. What makes this championship significant is the scale of the field. Teams from countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Uganda reached the knockout rounds, and the men's field alone had 13 teams: India, Nigeria, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Canada, Australia, Scotland and Singapore. That spread, from Africa and South Asia to Europe, North America and Australia, is unusual for kabaddi. For a sport that is trying to grow beyond South Asia, a new international competition with teams from several continents is a step forward.

The choice of Ahmedabad also matters. The city is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, and staging a Commonwealth championship in a sport with deep Indian roots there gives organisers and federations a platform to argue for kabaddi's place in the wider Commonwealth sporting calendar.

Uganda's run to the women's final stands out. A team from East Africa reaching the title match of a kabaddi championship shows that the sport is taking root beyond its traditional heartland. More countries playing competitively gives kabaddi a stronger case for inclusion in major multi-sport events, which in turn brings funding, attention and careers for players.

For young Indian players, the tournament is a showcase. Aditya Shinde's Super 10 in the men's final, and the women's dominant run, are the kind of performances that catch the eye of league teams and selectors. With the professional league and national team pathways in place, international events like this add another stage where emerging players can prove themselves against unfamiliar opponents and styles.

The scorelines also show the gap that still exists. India won both finals by large margins, and the semi-finals were similarly one-sided. Closing that gap will depend on other countries building coaching, leagues and grassroots programmes.

Short-term: India's teams return as the first Commonwealth kabaddi champions, and players such as Aditya Shinde gain attention ahead of the domestic and league season.

Long-term: If the championship becomes a regular event, it could help spread kabaddi across Commonwealth countries, raise standards outside South Asia and strengthen the sport's case for a place in larger multi-sport competitions.

Who is affected: India's men's and women's kabaddi players and coaches; teams and federations from Sri Lanka, Uganda, Bangladesh and other participating countries; young kabaddi players seeking international exposure; and fans of the sport.

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