Why is Kabaddi not part of Commonwealth Games 2026?

The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be held without Kabaddi.

The Commonwealth Games 2026 will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2. Over 3,000 athletes from 74 nations will participate in the CWG.

However, even with the strong presence of South Asian nations at the Commonwealth Games, Kabaddi is still not included in the list of events for the 2026 edition. Kabaddi has never been an official medal sport at the Commonwealth Games.

It was included as a medal event in the 1990 Asian Games and has since remained one of the major events to watch. However, the sport is still struggling to find a place at even bigger tournaments, including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

Kabaddi is one of the oldest and most popular sports, having originated in India approximately 4,000 years ago. Despite its growing popularity, the sport is yet to earn a place at the Commonwealth Games. On that note, let’s understand why kabaddi isn’t part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Why is Kabaddi still missing from the Commonwealth Games?

Kabaddi has been an integral part of the Asian Games, yet it has not been part of major global events such as the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics.

The Commonwealth Games are played between athletes from Commonwealth nations. These nations comprise 56 members, primarily territories that the British Empire once ruled.

The main reason Kabaddi is not yet part of the CWG is that the sport has lacked global recognition across Commonwealth nations. While the sport is popular in South Asia and is growing rapidly in other places like the UK and Australia, its global footprint remains limited compared to other sports at the event.

Another reason could be the lack of federations in many countries, and the international federation is also not as strong. Since it is an Asian sport, its structure is also centred around the Asian Games.

Since India are also among the Commonwealth countries, along with Pakistan and Bangladesh, there have been appeals to include Kabaddi in the Commonwealth Games.

It is not yet included in the 2026 edition. However, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has proposed including Kabaddi in the 2030 Commonwealth Games, which will be hosted in Ahmedabad, India.

Following the Asian Games, a Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship will be held among participating nations in October 2026, boosting the prospects of kabaddi being included in the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

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