The league story
The next global chapter of kabaddi starts in the UK.
Kabaddi League is a new franchise-led sports and entertainment property launching from the UK, combining elite kabaddi, diverse international talent, premium live entertainment and digital-first storytelling.
Kabaddi already attracts mass broadcast and digital audiences. India built the sport into prime-time entertainment; Kabaddi League creates its next international viewing occasion, an additional, complementary competition around a sport audiences already know and love, played on one of Britain’s most prestigious sporting stages.
The UK gives Kabaddi League a unique mix of established South Asian fandom, mainstream sports audiences and multicultural participation. The opportunity is not simply to take kabaddi from India to the world, but to show the world embracing it.
Built for growth
Global talent. Elite competition. International distribution.
01
Elite international talent
Experienced international and elite-level kabaddi players alongside emerging British, European and diaspora talent, athletes with national-team and leading professional competition experience.
02
Franchise ownership
Six franchises bringing together UK and international business leaders, investors and entrepreneurs with the networks and ambition to grow Kabaddi League beyond the inaugural season.
03
Premium broadcast
Multi-camera production, world feed, replay and graphics, English commentary with Hindi and additional language options, mixed-zone access, digital clips and highlights.
04
A sport that travels
Retaining kabaddi’s core South Asian audience while reaching mainstream British, European and worldwide viewers, growing participation among women and girls, and building rivalries with international appeal.
Official sanction
EKA · Est. 2004
England Kabaddi Association
Governing body of kabaddi in England
Affiliated to the International Kabaddi Federation
Governance & sanction
Sanctioned by the England Kabaddi Association.
Kabaddi League operates under the sanction of the England Kabaddi Association, the sport’s governing body in England, giving franchises, players, partners and broadcasters a nationally recognised standard.
- Competition rules and match officials under the Association’s framework
- Player eligibility to a nationally recognised standard
The growth roadmap
From a premium UK launch to a global kabaddi property.
Year 1
- Launch in May 2027
- Launch at the Mattioli Arena, Leicester
- Establish franchises, players and premium broadcast standards
- Build audiences worldwide
Year 2
- Grow match inventory and year-round content
- Expand UK and European participation
- Extend international distribution
- Launch of the women’s league
Years 3–5
- Increase rights, sponsorship and franchise value
- Launch of the adaptive league
- Introduce four additional teams
- Establish Kabaddi League as a recognised global sports property
Why the UK
A sport Asia loves. A global story the world can discover.
Kabaddi combines contact, speed, strategy, personality and simple moments of attack and defence. Its short, high-impact sequences are naturally suited to live television, streaming, highlights, mobile viewing and social clips, and the UK is the ideal place to prove it can be played, watched and loved by everyone.
- Existing kabaddi fans seeking a new international competition
- Mainstream sports viewers attracted by speed, physicality and rivalry
- Young digital audiences consuming clips, personalities and creator-led content
- Families and multicultural communities looking for accessible live entertainment
- Viewers inspired by women and girls participating in a fast-growing global sport
Commercially backed. Internationally connected. Built for long-term growth.
Broadcast, sponsorship, hospitality and franchise conversations are open.