Kabaddi — Step-by-Step Roadmap
The whole Kabaddi journey, 0 to 100, in order: the four stages from a local club to the international level, who can start, the detailed route with trials and selection rules, what is open at every age, where to train, who pays, and the jobs and money after. Every step is taken from the same official sources as the main Kabaddi guide.
Zero to podium — the four stages
Fuel, from stage 1: food first. Pair cereals with pulses about 3:1 — roti or rice with dal, chana or rajma; vegetarians add milk or curd, others eggs, fish or meat. ICMR-NIN says most athletes get enough protein from food and protein powders are unnecessary; NADA warns that no supplement is risk-free. [20][13]
Weigh-in, registration and how campers are scored
- Online player registration on the AKFI website is mandatory; players without an online registration number or ID card cannot play.
- A physical Aadhaar card is compulsory for verification during the weighing.
- Junior entries must be uploaded with a date-of-birth proof. [2][3]
How AKFI scored players for the Asian Games 2026 squad [5]
| Factor | Indicative weight |
|---|---|
| Exceptional performance (last 12 months) | 40% |
| Consistent performance (12–24 months) | 35% |
| Outstanding past performance (4–8 years) | 15% |
| Fitness & discipline | 10% |
- In the national coaching camp each player is scored on technical and tactical skill, physical fitness and endurance (agility tests, strength benchmarks), performance in camp games, and discipline.
- All probables must comply with NADA and WADA anti-doping rules; an anti-doping violation is a listed reason for replacing a selected player. [5]
From the state team to the India jersey
The kabaddi ladder [10][2][5]
| Step | Age / limit | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. SAI Training Centre | 10–18 | Team members finishing top 4 at Sub Junior/Junior Nationals, or top 2 at state level, can enter after tests |
| 2. State team | Sub-junior · junior · senior | AKFI tells states to pick their own state's players only |
| 3. Nationals | — | Sub Junior, Junior and Senior National Kabaddi Championships |
| 4. Senior Federation Cup | Open | The top teams of the Senior Nationals plus the host state |
| 5. Pro Kabaddi League | Open (auction) | Franchise contract; PKL is weighted highest for national selection |
| 6. National probables and camp | — | Probables come from the Senior Nationals, Federation Cup and PKL; the camp is the final verification stage |
The Khelo India scheme also inducts kabaddi talent: on 23 April 2026 SAI inducted two young right raiders (born 2010 and 2011) as Khelo India Athletes on the recommendation of its Talent Identification and Development Committee, with support from 1 May 2026. [6]
Kabaddi at every age — sub-junior under 16 to open senior
AKFI uses age and weight together: sub-juniors 16 or below and 55 kg, juniors under 20, seniors open in age but weight-capped. [1][3][2]
Type an age to light up every group you can enter.
-
8–14years
Child
SAI IGMA schools (NSTC)
Kabaddi is in SAI's Indigenous Games and Martial Arts scheme for ages 8–14. [10]
-
10–18years
Youth
SAI Training Centre (STC)
Kabaddi is one of the 27 sports at SAI's Training Centres; team-game entry is for ages 10 to 18. Members of a team in the top 4 at Sub-Junior or Junior Nationals, or the top 2 at state level, can sit the tests. [10]
- 16 or belowyears
- Under 20years
-
17+years
Coach · official
Coach — SAI NSNIS courses
After Class 12: the Six-Week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching (₹14,800; 4 weeks online, 2 at a SAI centre) needs a top-3 district school result, or state, inter-university, SGFI or national participation. The 1-year Diploma in Sports Coaching (₹63,800) runs in Kabaddi: Class 12 + an international record, or a degree + Senior Nationals, Khelo India University or inter-university play, or Junior Nationals twice. [15][16]
-
18–28years
Job window
Sports-quota job window
Railways sports quota takes ages 18–25 (on 1 Jan 2027, Western Railway 2026-27 notice). CRPF takes 18–23 (on 1 Aug 2026) plus 5 years for a sportsperson — up to 28 unreserved, 31 OBC, 33 SC/ST. Central Group C posts relax the upper age by up to 5 years (10 for SC/ST). [17][18][14]
- Openyears
Where kabaddi players are trained
SAI National Centres of Excellence with kabaddi [10]
| Centre | Note |
|---|---|
| Kandivali (Mumbai) | With hockey and wrestling |
| Sonepat (Haryana) | With archery, athletics, hockey, wrestling |
| Gandhinagar (Gujarat) | With handball, kho-kho, athletics and para sports |
| Dharamshala (Himachal) | Kabaddi, athletics, kho-kho, volleyball — girls only |
AKFI championships announced for 2026 [2][3][4]
| Championship | Dates | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 5th Senior Federation Cup (men & women) | 19–22 Mar 2026 | Satna, Madhya Pradesh |
| 52nd Junior National Championship — Boys | 1–4 Nov 2026 | Patliputra Sports Complex, Patna, Bihar |
| 52nd Junior National Championship — Girls | 26–29 Nov 2026 | Nehru Stadium, Faridkot, Punjab |
Who pays a kabaddi player at each level
Who pays — kabaddi [2][10][12][9]
| Stage | Paid by | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| National championships | Organising committee | Free boarding, lodging and local transport for teams and officials |
| SAI centre trainee | SAI | Coaching, boarding and sports science at an STC or NCOE |
| Khelo India athlete | Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports | ₹6.28 lakh a year incl. ₹1.20 lakh cash |
| PKL player | Franchise | Auction price from the team purse |
- Kit is light: playing shoes are compulsory and matches are on mats; teams must wear colour-coordinated uniforms with chest numbers (4 inch front, 6 inch back).
- Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices for kit: no governing body publishes them. [2]
- Making weight: lose weight with food planning, not pills — no supplement is 100% safe and the athlete is responsible for whatever is found in the sample. [13]
PKL auction, awards and sports-quota jobs
Pro Kabaddi League Season 12 auction rules (May–June 2025) [9]
| Rule | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base prices | Category A ₹30 lakh · B ₹20 lakh · C ₹13 lakh · D ₹9 lakh (each split into raiders, defenders, all-rounders) |
| Purse | ₹5 crore per franchise, less the players already retained |
| Squad | 18 to 25 players, 2 to 4 overseas |
| Retentions | Up to 6, of which at most 3 Elite Retained Players |
| Final Bid Match | A team can buy back a released player by matching the winning bid (up to 3 FBM cards) |
- Kabaddi is one of the 65 sports in the central sports quota for Group C posts, with up to 5 years' age relaxation (10 for SC/ST).
- Medals at the Asian Games can bring out-of-turn promotions; in team events only if the player played at least 50% of the matches. [14]
Refereeing is a second career: AKFI ran referee-course exams in many states in 2026 and publishes the lists of successful candidates. [7]
Where this roadmap comes from
The sources cited on this page, numbered as on the main Kabaddi guide, read on 15 October 2026. Trials, age rules and scheme amounts change — open the current file before you act on it.
- AKFI — Rules and Regulations of All Forms of Kabaddi, version 2.1.0 (8 Nov 2017) (opens in a new tab) Court sizes, lines, mat, age and weight criteria, raid rules, match length, scoring, time-outs, substitutions, age-fraud penalty · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AKFI — Circular, 5th Senior Federation Cup, Satna (28 Feb 2026) (opens in a new tab) Senior weight limits, open age, 14 players, mats and shoes, online registration, Aadhaar at weigh-in, own-state players, free boarding · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AKFI — Circular, 52nd Junior National Kabaddi Championship (Boys), Bihar (1 Aug 2026) (opens in a new tab) Junior boys 75 kg, below 20 years, DOB proof, dates and venue · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AKFI — Circular, 52nd Junior National Kabaddi Championship (Girls), Punjab (opens in a new tab) Junior girls 65 kg, below 20 years, dates and venue · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AKFI — Selection Policy for the Indian Kabaddi Team, Asian Games 2026 (opens in a new tab) Past Asian Games results, probables from Nationals/Federation Cup/PKL, scoring weights, camp evaluation, NADA/WADA compliance · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI KITD notification / AKFI letter — Khelo India induction of kabaddi athletes (23 and 30 Apr 2026) (opens in a new tab) Induction of two kabaddi athletes as Khelo India Athletes from 1 May 2026 via TIDC · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- AKFI — official website (circulars and referee-course results) (opens in a new tab) 2026 referee-course results by state, circulars · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- All India Radio News — Kabaddi golden double at the Asian Games (26 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) Men beat Iran 40-34, women beat Iran 37-34 at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- Pro Kabaddi League — Season 12 player auction rules (opens in a new tab) Base price categories, ₹5 crore purse, squad size, overseas limits, retentions, FBM cards · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) Kabaddi NCOEs, STC team-game entry, weeding-out rules · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) Asian Games and Asian Championship amounts, Kabaddi World Cup listing, 75% team rule · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India ₹6.28 lakh · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- NADA India — Managing the Risk of Nutritional Supplements (opens in a new tab) Supplement risk, strict liability · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Kabaddi in the 65-sport list, Group C, out-of-turn promotion in team events · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI NSNIS Patiala — Six Week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching (opens in a new tab) 6 weeks (4 online, 2 offline), ₹14,800, Class 12 + district-level top 3 or state / inter-university / SGFI / national participation · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- SAI NSNIS Patiala — Diploma in Sports Coaching (course page, 2026-27) (opens in a new tab) 1 year, ₹63,800, 785 + 104 seats in 26 disciplines at Patiala, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram; Category A (Class 12 + international record), B (graduation + national record) · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) Age 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027, Level 5/4, 3/2 and 1 sports norms, MoYAS-recognition rule, fees · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- CRPF — Recruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons, HC & Constable (GD), Sports Quota 2026 (Advt. R.II-21/2026-Sports, 17 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) 521 posts, age 18–23 on 1 Aug 2026 with sportsperson relaxation (+5 UR, +8 OBC, +10 SC/ST), qualifications, fee, ₹1 lakh bond · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- Khelo India Youth Games 2026 (Telangana) — Sports (opens in a new tab) The 25 disciplines listed for KIYG 2026 · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition — Dietary Guidelines for Indians (booklet), Guideline 8 (opens in a new tab) Cereal-pulse 3:1 protein quality, vegetarian and non-vegetarian protein sources; most athletes meet protein needs from food, protein powders unnecessary · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
The rules and scoring, recognition, the traps to avoid.