‘ Women’s Kabaddi World Cup significantly boosts Kabaddi’s global profile:’ BKF General Secretary Mr. SM Nawaz Shohag

The ongoing Women’s Kabaddi World Cup, which is being held from November 17 to 24 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has seen a dominant performance from Team India as they face Chinese Taipei in the final on Monday. This is the second edition of the tournament, following India's victory in the inaugural edition in 2012, held in Bihar.

Speaking on the success of the tournament, Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation General Secretary Mr. SM Nawaz Shohag said, “Hosting the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in Bangladesh was an honour for us and a great moment for the Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF). It allowed us to showcase our capability to deliver a world-class event while promoting women’s empowerment through sports.

“BKF led every aspect of the tournament – from planning and logistics to technical operations, coordination with the IKF, and ensuring a smooth experience for all participating nations. The overwhelming enthusiasm from supporters and stakeholders made the event truly special,” he added.

India was among the 11 teams that participated in the competition. Hosts Bangladesh, Chinese Taipei, Germany, Iran, Kenya, Nepal, Poland, Thailand, Uganda and Zanzibar were the other countries in the tournament.

Talking about the importance of such competitions, Mr. Nawaz Shohag said, “Such tournaments are crucial for raising performance standards. They provide teams with high-level exposure, motivate federations to enhance training systems, and inspire more women to take up the sport. Regular global competitions ensure long-term development, stronger participation, and consistently higher-quality play in the years ahead.”

Mr. Nawaz Shohag also shared his insights on how the World Cup will help the sport grow globally, “This World Cup significantly boosts Kabaddi’s global profile. By bringing nations together on a competitive platform, it encourages emerging countries to invest in the sport and strengthens international engagement. Events of this scale help Kabaddi gain wider recognition and open pathways for its inclusion in more global multi-sport arenas, accelerating the sport’s expansion worldwide.”

The defending champions, India, were the first to qualify for the semi-finals after winning all four of their group matches. In their penultimate match of the tournament, they brushed aside Iran 33-21 to storm into the final. Meanwhile, Chinese Taipei also topped Pool B with an unbeaten run, eventually beating Bangladesh 25-18 in the semi-final.

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