Kabaddi is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players Traditional games of South Asia. The goal of the game is for a single offensive player, called the "raider," to enter the opposing team's half of the court, tag as many players as possible, and return to their own side within 30 seconds, all while avoiding being tackled by the defenders. Points are scored for each player tagged by the raider, while the opposing team earns a point for stopping the raider. Players are taken out of the game if they are touched or tackled, but return to the game after each point scored by their team from a tag or tackle.
Cricket is the most popular sport in India. It is played almost everywhere in the country. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is the governing body of Indian cricket and conduct all domestic tournaments and select the players for India national cricket team and India women's national cricket team.
Association football is not the most popular sports in India. The 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup was the first FIFA event the country hosted. It was called the most successful FIFA U-17 World Cup ever, with a record-breaking attendance of 1,347,133, exceeding China's record of 1,230,976 from 1985. India also hosted the 2022 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and bid to host the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Kho kho is a traditional South Asian sport that dates to ancient India. It is the second-most popular traditional tag game in the Indian subcontinent after kabaddi. Kho kho is played on a rectangular court with a central lane connecting two poles which are at either end of the court. During the game, nine players from the chasing team are on the field, with eight of them sitting (crouched) in the central lane, while three runners from the defending team run around the court and try to avoid being touched. Each sitting player on the chasing team faces the opposite half of the field that their adjacent teammates are facing.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) is the governing body of football, futsal and beach soccer in India. It is a member of FIFA, and is affiliated with the Asian Football Confederation and South Asian Football Federation.
Association football and basketball are the most popular sports in Asia. Cricket is the third most popular sport in Asia, and is most popular in South Asia. Other popular sports in Asia include baseball, badminton and table tennis among others. There are also some traditional sports that are popular in certain regions of Asia, such as the South Asian sports kabaddi and kho-kho, and sepak takraw in Southeast Asia. Top sporting nations/regions in Asia include China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Iran, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The India women's national football team represents India at women's international football competitions and is governed by the All India Football Federation. Under the global jurisdiction of FIFA and governed in Asia by the AFC. India is also part of the South Asian Football Federation. The team was one of the best in Asia in the mid-1970s to early 1980s, when they became runners-up in the 1979 and the 1983 AFC Women's Asian Cup.
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Sport in Delhi has a long and distinguished history. Delhi is the capital territory of India; it has hosted many major international tournaments and has professional teams in different national leagues like Hockey India League, Indian Premier League and Indian Super League.
Kabaddi, is a contact sport, native to the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most popular sports in India, played mainly among village people. India has taken part in four Asian Games in kabaddi, and won gold in all.
Sports play an integral part of culture in the Indian state of Maharashtra. Cricket is the most popular spectator sport in the state. Other popular sports include kabaddi and kho kho, which are played in rural areas, and field hockey, badminton, and table tennis, which are more common in urban areas, schools, and colleges. In the state's southern rural regions, annual wrestling championships such as Hind Kesari and Maharashtra Kesari are held. Games like Viti-Dandu and variations of Tag are played among children.
The Indian National Basketball League (INBL), also known as the Pro International Basketball League, is a developmental basketball league in India. In 2025, it has shifted to a league for youth and college players under the age of 25.
Ultimate Kho Kho is an Indian franchise-based kho-kho league. Hosted by the Kho Kho Federation of India, it was founded in 2022. The first season had a viewership of 64 million, 41 million of which came from India, making UKK the third-most viewed non-cricket sports tournament in India after the Pro Kabaddi League and the Indian Super League.
The Kho Kho Federation of India, aka KKFI, is the national governing body for kho-kho in India. Its president is Sudhanshu Mittal.
The 56th National Kho Kho Championship took place from 27 March to 1 April 2024 in New Delhi, India. The National championship is the top tournament in India, annually contested by the states, and the winner is declared as the National champion. Maharashtra won both the men's and women's titles in the 56th edition.
Pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is growing rapidly within India. The Times Now reported in September 2024 that over 50,000 people in India played the game over the previous 18 months and at the time there were over 500 courts throughout the country, with 40 or 50 new courts being added every month. The popularity of pickleball is causing waiting lists for booking courts. Its increasing reach is attracting sponsors and investment.
The Kho Kho World Cup is an international kho kho tournament. It is sanctioned by the International Kho Kho Federation.
The 2025 Kho Kho World Cup was the first edition of the Kho Kho World Cup. It was held at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, India from 13 to 19 January 2025. The tournament was organized by the Kho Kho Federation of India and the International Kho Kho Federation.
The Nepal men's national Kho-Kho team, governed by the Nepal Kho Kho Association and a member of the International Kho Kho Federation, represents Nepal in men's international Kho Kho.
