The Kabaddi World Cup 2025, a collaboration between World Kabaddi, the British Kabaddi League, and the West Midlands Combined Authority, will be held from 17th to 23rd March across Wolverhampton, Coventry, Birmingham, and Walsall. Backed by £500,000 from the UK Government’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund, the tournament promises thrilling competition.
Asian Voice spoke exclusively to Ashok Das, President, of World Kabaddi about the tournament.
What inspired you to introduce Kabaddi to the UK over 20 years ago, and how has the journey evolved to this point?
I was born in Kapurthala and represented the Punjab Kabaddi National Team in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After getting married and settling in Birmingham, I helped with an International Kabaddi Tournament in the city in August 1993, because I wanted to give something back to my community. Community engagement is very important to me, and all walks of life and all religions can play kabaddi.
“I created a series called ‘Kabaddi History & Techniques’ and introduced the sport in English universities and to the British Army as a way of keeping them fit. I was a runner-up in the BBC Midlands Sports Unsung Hero of the Year, became known as the ‘Kabaddi Daddy’ and promoted the sport wherever I could so that budding players could make themselves, their families and ultimately their country proud.
What impact do you hope hosting the first Kabaddi World Cup outside Asia will have on the sport's growth and recognition in the UK and globally?
My dream is for kabaddi to one day become an Olympic sport. Hosting the first World Cup outside Asia will bring people and communities together, regardless of age, gender or social background. It will be a hugely exciting milestone in the global growth and expansion of the sport across Europe. The West Midlands will welcome men’s and women’s teams from around the world – including India, Pakistan, China and the USA – this spring, and we can’t wait to enjoy a fun, energetic and interactive celebration of South Asian sport. I hope the World Cup will encourage youngsters to play sport. Unlike other sporting activities, you don’t have to spend any money to play kabaddi – so come along, have a training session, and take part!
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, City of Wolverhampton Council Cabinet Member for Resident Services also spoke to Asian Voice:
What makes Wolverhampton an ideal location for hosting the finals and semi-finals of the Kabaddi World Cup, and how do you envision this event benefiting the city?
It’s a real honour and tremendously exciting that Wolverhampton and the West Midlands will be hosting the 2025 Kabaddi World Cup, the first time the sport’s most prestigious global tournament will be hosted outside of Asia, and I am even more excited that Wolverhampton will play a big part in this momentous occasion by hosting group stages, the semi-finals and the final.
The first ever British Kabaddi League match played in Great Britain was held at WV Active Aldersley in 2022 between Wolverhampton Wolfpack and Birmingham Bulls and we have a plaque to commemorate this at our venue. We played a pivotal role in working with World Kabaddi and England Kabaddi in setting up the league and bringing the sport to the wider public.
The Kabaddi World Cup 2025 has received £500,000 of funding from the UK Government's Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund following a joint regional bid led by the City of Wolverhampton Council and World Kabaddi.
How do you plan to leverage the Kabaddi World Cup to introduce the sport to more schools, colleges, and universities across the West Midlands and inspire greater youth participation?
Through our work with all organisations involved in the World Cup, including England Kabaddi and Scotland Kabaddi, we hope to use it as a catalyst for introducing kabaddi into more schools, colleges, and universities across the West Midlands, inspiring our young and diverse population to become more physically active and engaged in sport.
Our cultural programme of activities around the World Cup will include school/community activities and cultural content that will form part of the opening and closing ceremonies.
We are engaging with 24 schools and/or community groups through workshops, intending to engage 1,000 residents and school children, emphasising Kabaddi’s rich cultural heritage and strengthening community pride and involvement in the World Cup.
