Landmark success of World Cup held across West Midlands celebrated on World Kabaddi Day

The global Kabaddi community has been celebrating the huge success of the Kabaddi World Cup following the completion of the tournament on Sunday at Aldersley Stadium.

World Kabaddi celebrates World Kabaddi Day annually on March 24, marking the anniversary of its founding date in 2018. 

Since then, the organisation has grown to include five continental governing bodies and more than 55 National Federations, a number which continues to rise as the sport’s global popularity skyrockets.

The 2025 celebrations come off the back of an outstanding World Cup featuring nine male and six female teams and provide an opportunity to reflect on Kabaddi’s growth. 

The seven-day tournament was held across the West Midlands, including in Wolverhampton and Walsall, and served as a significant milestone in World Kabaddi’s ambitions for greater recognition among the international sports community and to feature at multi-sport events including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.

In both the men’s and women’s competitions, the India teams emerged victorious against the England teams.

Outgoing World Kabaddi President Ashok Das said: “The Kabaddi World Cup 2025 has been a historic week for Kabaddi. 

"The performances of all the teams, the passion of the fans in the great West Midlands venues and the millions who have followed the tournament around the world have proven that our sport is truly global.

“This tournament is a milestone and a sign of Kabaddi’s bright future. The passion we’ve seen is a testament to how far the sport has come, and a glimpse of what lies ahead. 

"We look forward to building on this momentum and taking Kabaddi to even greater heights on the world stage.”

The Kabaddi World Cup was hosted by the England Kabaddi Association and delivered by the British Kabaddi League (BKL), which launched in 2022 and has underlined the sport’s expansion around the world.

BKL Chief Executive Prem Singh said: “Kabaddi has been on an incredible journey with the fantastic support of our partner, Paddy Power, who has helped us elevate this sport to an entirely different level here in the UK and internationally. 

"We are honoured to have played a role in this historic moment in hosting the first Kabaddi World Cup outside of Asia. 

"The positive impact of this tournament has been evident through the incredible support from our community, fans filling the venues, engaging across social media and tuning in via broadcasters around the world. 

"We hope this event has contributed to the sport’s long-term legacy and helped showcase Kabaddi’s power to bring unite and inspire people.”

On Sunday, the final day of the Kabaddi World Cup, a ceremonial handover marked the transition of leadership at World Kabaddi, as outgoing President Mr Ashok Das officially passed the presidency to Dr Osama Said of Egypt. 

Dr Said, who was elected in December 2024, will serve a four-year term at the helm of World Kabaddi.

He brings a wealth of experience to the role, currently serving as President of both the Egyptian Kabaddi Association and Kabaddi Africa. His appointment signals a new era for the sport, with a focus on further expanding Kabaddi’s reach. 

He said: “I want to take a moment to recognise the incredible work of Mr Ashok Das, whose dedication and leadership have been instrumental in elevating Kabaddi to a global stage. 

"The UK’s West Midlands has hosted an incredible World Cup showing for the first time that Kabaddi has true global appeal. 

"I would like to thank everyone at England Kabaddi Association and British Kabaddi League who have helped to elevate the World Cup to a new level. 

"This has laid a fantastic foundation for us to build upon, inspiring growth at both the grassroots and elite levels. I am honoured to step into the Presidency role, and I am excited to lead the next chapter in Kabaddi’s journey, expanding its reach across the world.”

Joel Lavery, Strategic Lead Major Sporting Events, West Midlands Growth Company, said: “We shouldn’t underestimate the impact of hosting the Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup in the West Midlands. 

"We’ve seen the convening power of sport in action bringing together in celebration civic leaders across the West Midlands, commercial partners and, most importantly the local and international community. 

"The sport of Kabaddi has officially landed in the West Midlands and in the UK and this is the watershed moment.  I have no doubt it will serve as a springboard for the future of the sport.”