Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: Schedule, India Squads, Groups, Matches, Live Streaming Details and More

The inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 gets underway on Friday, October 23, with India's men's and women's teams beginning their campaigns at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex. The Indian women's team will face Malaysia at 6:45 PM IST, while the men's side takes on England at 8:30 PM IST as both teams aim to claim the first Commonwealth kabaddi titles.

The tournament will run until October 31, featuring 23 teams from 13 nations across 62 matches. The competition comprises 39 men's matches and 23 women's matches, with teams competing through the group stage before the semifinals and finals determine the inaugural champions.

With kabaddi looking to strengthen its presence on the Commonwealth sporting calendar ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, the championship provides an important platform for the sport. Here is everything you need to know about the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026, including the schedule, groups, Indian squads, match timings and live streaming details.

Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: Dates and Venue

The Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship will be held from October 23 to 31, 2026, at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad. Organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) with the approval of the International Kabaddi Federation (IKF), the tournament will bring together men's and women's teams from across the Commonwealth.

A total of 13 nations will participate, with 23 teams competing across both categories. The opening day's action begins at 11:00 AM IST with the men's Group B match between Kenya and Singapore.

Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: Groups Explained

The men's competition features 13 teams divided into two groups, while the women's tournament has 10 teams split equally between two groups. Each team will play every other side in its group once, with the top two teams progressing to the semifinals.

Men's Groups

Group A: India, Nigeria, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Tanzania and Sri Lanka.

Group B: Bangladesh, Kenya, Canada, Australia, Scotland and Singapore.

Women's Groups

Group A: India, Singapore, Nigeria, Uganda and Malaysia.

Group B: Bangladesh, Kenya, England, Scotland and Sri Lanka.

At the semifinal stage, the winner of Group A will face the runner-up of Group B, while the winner of Group B will take on the second-placed team from Group A. The winners of those matches will advance to the respective finals.

India Men's Kabaddi Team: Squad and Schedule

India's men's team will be led by captain Surjeet Singh, with Naveen Kumar serving as vice-captain. The 14-member squad combines experienced names with players looking to make their mark on the international stage as India pursue the inaugural Commonwealth title.

India men's squad: Surjeet Singh (captain), Naveen Kumar (vice-captain), Yogesh Dahiya, Shubham Shinde, Deepak Sankar, Nitesh Kumar, Parvesh Bhainswal, Ajit Pawar, Sachin Tanwar, Pankaj Mohite, Bharat Hooda, Shivam Patare, Neeraj Narwal and Aditya Shinde.

India will play six group-stage matches, beginning with England on October 23. The men's team will then face Uganda, Malaysia, Nigeria, Tanzania and Sri Lanka, with all of India's remaining group matches scheduled for 8:30 PM IST.

• October 23: India vs England – 8:30 PM IST
• October 24: India vs Uganda – 8:30 PM IST
• October 25: India vs Malaysia – 8:30 PM IST
• October 26: India vs Nigeria – 8:30 PM IST
• October 27: India vs Tanzania – 8:30 PM IST
• October 29: India vs Sri Lanka – 8:30 PM IST

India will be aiming to secure a strong position in Group A and book a place in the semifinals. With six fixtures scheduled across seven days, consistency will be crucial throughout the group stage.

India Women's Kabaddi Team: Squad and Schedule

The Indian women's team will be captained by Nidhi Sharma, with Ritu named vice-captain. India have been drawn in Group A alongside Singapore, Nigeria, Uganda and Malaysia, setting up four group-stage matches in their pursuit of a place in the knockout rounds.

India women's squad: Nidhi Sharma (captain), Ritu (vice-captain), Muskan Sharma, Sabhai Gadhavi, Priya, Champa Thakur, Riya Kumari, Suman Sahu, Jyothi, Ritu Mitharwal, Renuka Choudhary, Simran Kamboj, Anu Sen, Sakshi and Karthika Ramesh.

India will open their campaign against Malaysia on October 23 before facing Singapore, Uganda and Nigeria on the following three days. All four of India's group matches are scheduled for 6:45 PM IST.

• October 23: India vs Malaysia – 6:45 PM IST
• October 24: India vs Singapore – 6:45 PM IST
• October 25: India vs Uganda – 6:45 PM IST
• October 26: India vs Nigeria – 6:45 PM IST

The women's group stage concludes on October 28, giving the qualified teams time to prepare for the semifinals scheduled for October 30.

Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: Semifinals and Final Dates

The group stage will be followed by the semifinals on Friday, October 30, with both the men's and women's competitions moving into the knockout phase. The finals will take place on Saturday, October 31, when the first Commonwealth kabaddi champions will be crowned.

• October 30: Women's semifinals – 6:00 PM and 6:45 PM IST
• October 30: Men's semifinals – 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM IST
• October 31: Women's final – 7:30 PM IST
• October 31: Men's final – 9:00 PM IST

The championship is being held under the theme "One Breath. One Raid. One Commonwealth," highlighting kabaddi's combination of tactical awareness, athleticism and teamwork.

Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 Tickets, Live Streaming and Telecast Details

Kabaddi fans in India can watch the Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 live on JioHotstar, which will stream every match of the tournament. Select evening fixtures, including the semifinals and finals, will also be broadcast on Star Sports.

• Live streaming: JioHotstar
• TV telecast: Star Sports for select evening matches, including the semifinals and finals
• Venue entry: Free, subject to prior online registration through Thumpn

Fans planning to watch the action at the venue should complete the required online registration through Thumpn before attending.