Kabaddi
A high-tempo South Asian contact sport in which a solo 'raider' crosses into enemy territory to tag defenders and return home — all in a single breath.
What is Kabaddi?
Kabaddi is one of the oldest continuously-played team sports on Earth, rooted in ancient India. Two teams of seven face off across a rectangular court. Turn by turn, one player from each side — the 'raider' — must run into the opponents' half, tag as many defenders as possible, and return to their own half before being tackled — all while continuously chanting 'kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi' to prove they haven't inhaled. It is the national sport of Bangladesh, a state sport in seven Indian states, and drives one of the world's fastest-growing professional leagues (Pro Kabaddi League).
Quick facts
Category
Traditional & Cultural Sports
Type
Team sport
Players
7 per team
Duration
~40 min
Where played
both
Field / court
court
Country of origin
🇮🇳 India
Estimated origin
c. 4th century BCE (referenced in Vedic literature)
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
How it works
Objective
Score more points than the opposing team by tagging defenders on a raid and by tackling raiders — all while managing your seven players on court.
Match structure
Teams alternate turns sending a raider into the opposition half. A raid is complete when the raider (a) returns to their half after tagging, (b) is tackled, or (c) runs out of breath / the 30-second raid clock expires. Defenders who are 'out' leave the court; they can be revived when their team scores a point.
See how it works
Anatomy of a kabaddi raid
Follow a raider across the baulk line, past defenders, and back home in one breath.
A raid: cross the midline, cross the baulk line, tag a defender, and return home before being tackled — all on a single breath.
Rules
Basic rules
The raid
A raider crosses the midline into enemy territory and must return to their own half without being tackled. The raider chants 'kabaddi, kabaddi, kabaddi' throughout — proving they haven't taken a fresh breath.
The cant
The continuous chant of 'kabaddi' is called the cant. Losing the cant (breathing in and stopping) makes the raider out.
The baulk & bonus
The raider must cross the baulk line to make a legal raid attempt. Crossing the bonus line (when 6+ defenders are on court) scores a bonus point if they return safely.
Tackling
Any defender who touches a raider can attempt a tackle. To score, the defence must prevent the raider from returning to their own half — the raider's body must be stopped on the defence's side.
Getting a defender out
The raider scores 1 point per defender they tag with any part of the body, provided they return safely.
All-out
If a team loses all 7 on-court players, the opposition is awarded 2 bonus points and all players are revived.
Advanced rules
Do-or-die raid
If a team fails to score on two consecutive raids, the next raid is 'do-or-die': the raider must score a point or their team loses a player.
Super raid
A raid that scores 3+ points in one attempt — worth a heavy tactical swing.
Super tackle
When the defence tackles a raider while having only 3 or fewer players on court, they score 2 points instead of 1.
Empty raid
A raid that scores no points and results in no defenders being out (and the raider returns safely). Counts towards the two-empty-raid trigger for do-or-die.
Scoring
One point per tag (touch), one point per tackle, one point per bonus, 2 points per super tackle, 2 points per all-out bonus.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Touch (raider tags a defender & returns) | 1 point per defender tagged |
| Bonus point | 1 point (raider crosses bonus line safely) |
| Tackle | 1 point (2 if super tackle) |
| All-out | 2 bonus points |
Win condition · Highest score at full time wins. In knockouts a golden raid decides tied matches.
Playing area
Called
court
Dimensions
13 m × 10 m (men) — split by a midline. Bonus line, baulk line and lobbies inside each half.
A hard, non-slippery court (usually a mat in the professional league) divided into two halves by a centre line. Each half contains a baulk line (parallel to midline, 3.75 m in), a bonus line (further in) and end/side lobbies.
The kabaddi court
13 m × 10 m. Baulk line: the raider must cross it for a legal attempt. Bonus line: cross it and return safely for a bonus point (only when 6+ defenders are on court).
Equipment
Court markings
Midline, baulk lines, bonus lines and lobbies painted onto the mat.
Sports uniform
Shorts + jersey (numbered).
Shoes
Non-marking rubber-soled sports shoes — mandatory on modern mats.
Positions & roles
Raider
×1The player currently attacking in the opposition half.
Left / Right Corner
×2Anchors at the back — usually the strongest solo tacklers.
Left / Right In
×2Mid-court defenders who form ankle-holds and initiate tackles.
Left / Right Cover
×2Between the corners and ins — the most mobile defenders.
All-rounder
×1A player equally capable of raiding and defending — typically the captain.
Officiating
The referee has authority over the whole match. Umpires patrol one half each and make on-the-spot decisions. In the Pro Kabaddi League a 3-second TV umpire review is available.
- 1 referee
- 2 umpires (one per half)
- 1 scorer
- 2 assistant scorers
Penalties & fouls
Penalties
Line out
A player stepping over any boundary line (except during a struggle) is declared out.
Time-outs
Each team is allowed two 30-second time-outs per half.
Fouls
Delaying the raid
A raider must cross the baulk line within 5 seconds; failure results in an unsuccessful raid.
Holding by hair or clothes
Illegal for defenders — the raider is declared safe and awarded a point.
Physical roughness
Punching, kicking or intentional injury draws a warning card, then a yellow (5 min), then a red (send-off).
Strategies
Chain tackle
Corners lock the raider's ankles while covers pull them backwards — the most reliable multi-defender tackle.
Raid selection
Save the star raider for do-or-die situations; use utility raiders to score bonus points early.
Managing all-outs
Aggressive defence in the final minute of a half can trigger a match-swinging all-out.
Terminology
- Cant
- The continuous chant of 'kabaddi' — proves the raider has not taken a breath.
- Raid
- A single trip by a raider into the opposition half.
- Baulk line
- 3.75 m inside each half — the raider must cross this for a legal raid.
- Bonus line
- A line further inside the opposition half — crossing it earns a bonus point.
- Do-or-die raid
- A raid that follows two empty raids — the raider must score or a player is out.
- Super tackle
- Tackling a raider when the defence has 3 or fewer players — worth 2 points.
- All-out
- Wiping out all 7 opposition players on court — 2 bonus points.
Major competitions
Kabaddi World Cup
quadrennial · worldwide · since 2004
Pro Kabaddi League (PKL)
annual · India · since 2014
Asian Games — Kabaddi
quadrennial · Asia · since 1990
Where it is played
Governing bodies
International Kabaddi FederationIKF
Founded 2004 · Bhilai, India
Amateur Kabaddi Federation of IndiaAKFI
Founded 1950 · New Delhi, India
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Pardeep Narwal
- Rakesh Kumar
- Ajay Thakur
- Pawan Sehrawat
- Rahul Chaudhari
Records
Most raid points in PKL history
Pardeep Narwal — 1,600+ points (2024)
Most Asian Games gold (nation)
India — 8 golds (2018)
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1What is kabaddi?
Two teams of seven. One player at a time raids the opposition — tagging and escaping without a fresh breath.
- 2The court
A 13 × 10 m mat split into two halves. Baulk and bonus lines are drawn inside each half.
- 3How the raid works
Cross the midline chanting 'kabaddi', tag defenders, return home safely.
- 4How defenders score
By stopping the raider from returning — often via a chain tackle at the ankles.
- 5Do-or-die & all-out
Two important pressure moments that can decide a match.
Frequently asked
Is kabaddi India's national sport?+
India does not have an officially declared national sport. Kabaddi is however the national sport of Bangladesh, and a state sport in seven Indian states.
How is a bonus point scored?+
The raider crosses the 'bonus line' inside the opposition half (when 6+ defenders are on court) and returns safely — 1 point.
How long is a kabaddi match?+
Two halves of 20 minutes with a 5-minute break — around 45 minutes in total.
Do you have to be big to play kabaddi?+
No — raiders are typically lean and quick; only the anchor defenders (corners) tend to be heavier for grip and power.
Sources & provenance
- International Kabaddi Federation — Rules— IKF
- Pro Kabaddi League — Rulebook— Mashal Sports
- Britannica — Kabaddi— Encyclopaedia Britannica