Indian womens team celebrated after beating Nepal in the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup final at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium inNew Delhi. The Indian womens team won the World Cup after defeating Nepal by 78-40 scores in the final match.

The dominant display from the Indian side was consistent with its superiority right through the tournament. Former captain Nasreen Shaikh, who won the 2023 Arjuna Award, announced after the final that she was retiring from kho kho.

Later in the day, the same opponents-India andNepal– also faced each other in the mens final, where Indian men edge past Nepalese with 54-36 Score to win mens World Cup also.

Thus, India emerged as inaugural champions in both mens and womens events. While the Indian men’s kho kho team beat Nepal 54-36 in the title clash, the womens team outplayed the Nepalese eves by a 78-40 score-line. Both the Indian teams created history by beating Nepal in their respective finals and winning the Kho Kho World Cup 2025 titles.

This was the inaugural edition of theKho Kho World Cup. Backed by theIndian Olympic Association(IOA), the tournament featured 20 mens and 19 womens teams.

The mens final saw Nepal wins the toss and opt to defend. India made the most of their opportunity to strike first and took the game to their opponents, ensuring they had a healthy 26-0 lead at the end of Turn 1.

On the attack in Turn 2, Nepal managed to reduce the deficit to 26-18 despite some stiff resistance from the Indian defenders. The hosts upped the ante in Turn 3 and were all over Nepals defenders to extend their lead to a commanding 54-18.

Nepal went into the final turn of the match with a 36-point deficit to overturn and although they performed commendably, it wasnt enough as India won the match and created history by becoming the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup winners.

India remained unbeaten throughout the kho kho tournament. After topping the Group A standings with four wins, including a narrow 42-37 victory over Nepal, they beat Sri Lanka in the quarter-finals and South Africa in the semi-finals.

In the womens final, Nepal won the toss and asked India to attack first. The decision would come back to haunt the visitors as India picked up quick points to mount early pressure on their opponents. India ran out the first batch of Nepal defenders in less than a minute to set the tone for Turn 1.

Nepal tried their best to halt Indias momentum by slowing down the pace of the game. However, India were unrelenting as captain Priyanka Ingle produced a double to help the hosts to a 34-0 lead at the end of the first turn. The visitors gave it their all in the second turn but the Indian defenders didnt allow Nepal much joy on attack.

While Nepal did manage to regroup and reduce the deficit to 35-24 at the end of Turn 2, India still held the advantage. Turn 3 saw India continue their dominance as the attacking team and they eliminated more than six batches of defenders to extend their lead to 73-24.

The Indian defenders ran a tight shift on the final turn to earn a comfortable victory, and by extension, the tag of the inaugural Womens Kho Kho World Cup champions.

The Indian womens kho kho team also went through the tournament undefeated. They won their three Group A matches and then beat Bangladesh and South Africa in the quarterfinals and semi-finals, respectively.

Indias Kho Kho dream to make this ancient sport to the Olympics:

Kho kho, a catch-me-if-you-can tag sport, has been played for more than 2,000 years across southern Asia but only saw its rules formalized in the early 20th century. This ancient game is enjoying a resurgence in India, with organizers of the first international tournament hoping their efforts will secure the sports place in the Olympics at some point.

It was played as a demonstration sport at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin but has not gathered enough support to be included as an official sport in the Summer Games. Since then, it has been largely eclipsed by Indias ferocious love of cricket.

Nearly a century later, enthusiasts have sought to raise its profile with the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup featuring teams from 23 nations competing in Indias capital New Delhi.

The tournaments opening ceremony saw a gala of song, dance and an Olympic-style team parade, reflecting the aspirations of organizers and athletes to take the sport global.

Indian womens team player Nasreen Shaikh shares:We have crossed the first barrier of playing in a World Cup. The next big step would be an entry in the Olympics.

Kho kho is traditionally played outside on a rectangular court, divided in two by a line that connects two poles at either end of the field.

Teams switch between attack and defence, with the former chasing and tagging defending players around the field.

Only one player can give chase at a time and attacking players can only move in one direction around the court, forcing them to tag in team-mates crouched on the center line to take over pursuit.

The match is won by whichever team can gain the most points, primarily by tagging defenders faster than the opposing team.

The franchise-based Ultimate Kho Kho League, founded in 2022, brought the sport off grassy fields and onto indoor mats, also boosting its profile with a television audience.

Since then, the league has become the third most-watched non-cricket sports tournament in the worlds most populous country after the Pro Kabaddi League another ancient Indian tag sport and the Indian Super League football competition.

The turning point was when it transitioned from mud to mat. It made it into a global game, shared Kho Kho Federation of India president Sudhanshu Mittal. Today we are in 55 countries. Native players in countries like Germany, Brazil, and Kenya are embracing the game because of its speed, agility and minimal equipment required.

It is being expected that this sport will gain a foothold in dozens more countries by the end of the year, giving it a strong claim to be featured in the Olympics in the coming decade.

That would coincide with Indias audacious bid to host the 2036 Games in the city of Ahmedabad, 100 years after kho kho last appeared at the Olympics.

The United States, England and Australia are among the nations which competed in this inaugural World Cup in New Delhi, with expatriate Indians heavily represented after taking the game to foreign shores. But, Pakistan is a glaring omission from the competition despite the sport being popular there. There has been a sea change in the sport, said Indian mens team captain Pratik Waikar. Cricket has a rich history and they developed it well by going live on TV, and now our sport has also gone live, he said. In the next five years, it will be on another level.

Illustrative, inaugural Kho Kho World Cup featured 24 teams from across Six Continents-A truly historic event for the Sport. Deeply rooted in India, the Kho-Kho game has now been gaining global recognition. This sport is all set to shine on the world stage after this inaugural Kho Kho World Cup-2025.

Scheduled from January 13 to 19, 2025; the event took place at New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor (IGI) Stadium of India. It was slated to feature two scores plus teams in both the men’s and women’s divisions, representing six continents. A total of 24 teams competed, divided into groups according to their rankings. India was expected to be the favorite in both divisions, and it proved the same also. Both men’s and women’s teams competed for world supremacy. The championship structure included 16 mens and 16 womens teams, setting the stage for an intense battle.

Men’s tournament showcased strong representation from Asia, featuring teams from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, South Korea, and Malaysia. From Africa, teams from Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa competed, while Europe was represented by England and the Netherlands. North America fielded teams from Canada and the United States, alongside Brazil from South America and Australia representing Oceania.

The women’s division showcased a diverse and impressive lineup. Participating teams from Asia included India, Bhutan, Iran, Nepal, Indonesia, South Korea, and Sri Lanka. Africa was represented by Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, while Europe fielded teams from Poland, England, and Germany. Peru and New Zealand competed from South America and Oceania, respectively. Notably, no team from North America participated in the women’s tournament this year..

The broadcast was through the Star Sports Network and Doordarshan as TV broadcast partners. For live streaming, fans tuned into the Disney+ Hotstar app and website.

Teams from six continents — Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and Oceania –featured in the much-anticipated tournament.

President Mittal informed: Kho Kho is a sport from our countrys soil. We are very proud to bring this sport to the mat. A big thank you to the federation, which has worked hard to ensure that Kho Kho becomes an international sport. We first brought the sport to its fans through the Ultimate Kho Kho League, and now it is time to take things to the next level with the First Kho Kho World Cup.

Ahead of the World Cup, the KKFI had also planned to promote the sport in 200 elite schools across 10 cities. The federation will also run a membership drive for school students, aiming to register at least 5 million players during the World Cup.

The Kho Kho Federation of India is working round the clock, with support from the Indian Olympic Association as well as other key delivery partners to ensure that Kho Kho, becomes a sport for the generations.

KKFI stands grateful to Sh. Rajiv Mehta, President, Asian Kho Kho Federation and Sh. M. S. Tyagi, Gen. Secretary of Kho Kho Federation of India, for extending their sincere support to formulate the Kho Kho League and promoting Kho Kho as a global sport. The untiring support to this Sport is to make India a global Kho Kho Power, and qualify for the upcoming Asian Games in near future.

Under the aegis of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the tournament showcased 21 mens and 20 womens teams from 24 countries across six continents at the IGI Stadium. The tournament promises to be a landmark event in the history of this indigenous sport, bringing together global talent and showcasing Indias sporting heritage on the world stage.

After an opener on 13th, the 14th, 15th and 16th January witnessed remaining league matches, following which the quarterfinals were held on January 17 and semifinals on January 18, and the final on January 19, 2025. Thus, the tournament saw 21 mens and 20 womens teams competing for the top prizes. Among Asian countries, Indonesia had sent only its womens team, while all other nations sent their mens and womens squads.

Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) president and Chairman of the tournaments organising committee, Mr Mittal informed that 615 players and 125 support staff participated in the event. Each team comprised 15 players, one coach, one manager and international technical officials.

Thus, India hosted the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup at the iconic IGI Stadium in New Delhi. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had officially confirmed its partnership with the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI), pledging unwavering support for the event. In a statement to KKFI President, IOA President PT Usha had expressed the associations strong commitment to elevating Indigenous sports like Kho Kho. She vowed to provide comprehensive support to enhance the tournaments visibility:

We recognize the significance of this event in celebrating our cultural heritage and promoting traditional sports, and we look forward to collaborating with the Kho Kho Federation of India to ensure the tournaments success. Together, we had aimed to make this event memorable and impactful, encouraging the spirit of sportsmanship among participants and fostering a deeper appreciation for Kho Kho worldwide.

Mittal expressed: The support of the IOA, led by President PT Usha, is a game-changer for Kho Kho. This collaboration is pivotal in putting Kho Kho on the global map.

President Mittal also shared, We are incredibly excited to host the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup. This tournament is not just about competition; its about bringing nations together, promoting cultural exchange, and showcasing the beauty and intensity of Kho Kho to the world. Our ultimate goal is to see Kho Kho recognized as an Olympic sport by 2032, and this World Cup is the first step towards that dream.