Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026: Where to Watch in India, Live Streaming, TV Coverage and Tournament Details

The first Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 was held in Ahmedabad from October 23 to 31, and the most reliable official broadcast information identified Star Sports and JioHotstar as the television and digital platforms. However, free access was not guaranteed for every match. JioHotstar streaming required a subscription according to contemporary coverage, while some reports separately claimed that matches could be watched free on Star Sports' official YouTube channel. Those claims should not be treated as proof that the entire tournament was freely streamed online. As of November 8, 2026, the championship has concluded. Viewers looking for the matches now need to check whether official replays or highlights remain available on the relevant platforms. During the tournament, matches scheduled before 6 PM IST were streamed on JioHotstar, while evening fixtures after 6 PM IST were also televised on Star Sports. This distinction mattered because television coverage did not extend to every match. The inaugural championship took place at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura, Ahmedabad. The men's competition featured 13 teams, while the women's competition featured 10 teams, representing 13 nations and forming 23 national squads. Across both categories, 62 matches were scheduled: 39 in the men's event and 23 in the women's event. The men's teams were divided into groups of seven and six, while the women's teams were divided into two groups of five. The group stages were followed by semi-finals on October 30 and finals on October 31. India's men's team was captained by Surjeet Singh, with Naveen Kumar as vice-captain. The squad included raiders Sachin Tanwar, Naveen Kumar, Pankaj Mohite, Aditya Shinde and Shivam Patare; defenders Surjeet Singh, Ajit Pawar, Parvesh Bhainswal, Shubham Shinde, Yogesh Dahiya, Nitesh Kumar and Deepak Shankar; and all-rounders Bharat Hooda and Neeraj Narwal. Nidhi Sharma captained the women's team, with Ritu Mitharwal as vice-captain. India won both gold medals. The men's final was against Sri Lanka, while the women's final was against Uganda. Sri Lanka won silver in the men's competition and Uganda took silver in the women's event. The results confirmed India's strength, but the event's broader significance should be measured through participation, competitive development and the growth of kabaddi in countries where professional structures remain limited. The championship was endorsed by Commonwealth Sport and linked to India's effort to strengthen kabaddi's case for inclusion in the 2030 Commonwealth Games programme, which Ahmedabad is due to host. It was nevertheless a standalone championship, not part of the main Commonwealth Games. Endorsement of the 2026 event did not guarantee that kabaddi would be added to the 2030 programme. That decision would require wider international participation, sustainable competition structures, administrative credibility and a clear case for the sport's place in the Games. The event brought together teams from South Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania. The men's field included India, Nigeria, Malaysia, Uganda, England, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Kenya, Canada, Australia, Scotland and Singapore. The women's field included India, Nigeria, Singapore, Uganda, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Kenya, England, Sri Lanka and Scotland. Pakistan was absent from the final participant list. Although early coverage referred to its withdrawal, the public material reviewed did not establish an official reason, so political or administrative explanations should not be presented as fact. For new viewers, kabaddi is played with seven players from each side on the mat. A raider enters the opposition half, attempts to touch defenders or score a bonus point, and must return safely. Defenders score by stopping the raider. The bonus line, all-out mechanism and do-or-die raid can create rapid changes in the score. In a compressed tournament, squad depth and recovery become important, although individual statistics against less experienced opposition should not automatically be treated as evidence of elite-level performance. The women's competition carried particular developmental value. Men's kabaddi has benefited from the Pro Kabaddi League's professional platform, while women's kabaddi has lacked an equivalent permanent franchise league. International competitions therefore provide an important route to visibility and experience for women players. The long-term value of the championship will depend on whether participating nations build domestic competitions, invest in coaching and officiating, and provide regular opportunities for women athletes. The broadcast arrangements also offer a lesson for future editions. Organisers should publish match-by-match television and streaming schedules, identify which matches are free, and provide official links before the first raid. A general claim that a tournament is available online is insufficient if some fixtures are subscription-only or restricted to a particular platform. Clear information would improve access and reduce the spread of unofficial streams. Ahmedabad's championship gave kabaddi a dedicated Commonwealth platform and an opportunity to demonstrate its international reach. The next test is whether that visibility can become a sustainable competition structure. The 2030 ambition will be more credible if more Commonwealth nations develop active federations, domestic leagues and women's programmes. The future of kabaddi will depend on more than India's medals: it will depend on how many countries can return with stronger teams, better preparation and a reliable place in the international calendar.