100 days to go until Wolverhampton and West Midlands hosts Kabaddi World Cup
It's the first time the competition has been hosted outside of Asia
Last updated 6th Dec 2024
The West Midlands is preparing to host another major international sporting event, with just 100 days to go until the Kabaddi World Cup.
The competition will be held in Wolverhampton and across the region, between 17th and 23rd March 2025, with 16 nations taking part.
It's the first time the competition has been hosted outside of Asia, with the sport now the fastest-growing in South Asia.
Kabaddi is an ancient sport which can be traced to pre-historic times when man learned how to defend in groups against animals or attack weaker animals individually or in groups for survival and food.
Kabaddi was played as a demonstration sport at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin and is now played in World Kabaddi’s 50 member countries.
The contact sport sees teams broken down into raiders and defenders, 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.
Ashok Das, President of World Kabaddi, said: “We have been working closely with the City of Wolverhampton Council, West Midlands Growth Company and partners over the last two years to plan the Kabaddi World Cup 2025 and are excited to be now drawing the teams for the competition.
"The West Midlands was a straightforward choice for us – not just for its great sporting pedigree, but it is a region that celebrates its cultural diversity, engages all its communities and is centrally located in the UK to allow ease of access to the competition from across the country."
The Kabaddi World Cup 2025 has received £500,000 of funding from the UK Government's Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund following a joint bid by City of Wolverhampton Council and World Kabaddi.
This application was successfully approved by the West Midlands Combined Authority, marking the one-year anniversary of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
City of Wolverhampton Council Leader, Councillor Stephen Simkins, said: "We are thrilled to announce the official launch of the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup in Wolverhampton! We look forward to welcoming men's and women's teams from around the globe and hosting the games in our vibrant city.
“Hosting the Kabaddi World Cup is a tremendous opportunity for Wolverhampton, and we are incredibly proud to be hosting the finals and semi-finals at Aldersley Stadium. This event will put our city and region on the map as a premier destination for visitors while also fostering a sense of pride and excitement among our residents."