The Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025 returns in after a long and turbulent 13-year gap, bringing with it a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and structural imbalance.
Scheduled from November 15 to 25 at the Shaheed Suhrawardi Indoor Stadium in Dhaka, the tournament marks a critical revival for the sport, which has struggled with administrative inconsistencies and an unclear global calendar since the inaugural edition in 2012. With 11 participating nations confirmed, including Asian heavyweights and emerging African and European sides, the upcoming World Cup captures both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for women’s kabaddi.
The most striking narrative emerging from the 2025 edition is the unequal distribution of competitive strength between the two groups. Group A features defending champions India, host nation Bangladesh, and several developing teams from Africa and Europe. Group B, in sharp contrast, has already earned the label “Group of Death,” placing three of Asia’s strongest medal contenders Chinese Taipei, Iran, and Nepal against one another in what promises to be a brutally selective contest.
Read Articles Without Ads On Your IndiaSportsHub App. Download Now And Stay Updated
While India has the clearest path to the semi-finals, at least one top-tier Asian team will be eliminated early, altering the dynamics of the knockout rounds and giving Bangladesh a realistic opening for a historic podium finish.
India enter Dhaka as the undisputed leaders of the women’s game. Gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games and 2025 Asian Championship reaffirm their dominance, supported by a deep bench and consistency in leadership. Whether captained by Ritu Negi, known for her defensive command, or the dynamic raider Sonali Shingate, the Indian system continues to produce reliable match-winners across positions.
Their 32–25 win over Iran in the recent Asian Championship final in Tehran is a reminder that even against seasoned rivals, India maintain both composure and tactical adaptability. For them, the group stage is likely to serve as preparation rather than challenge, with the real contest beginning only in the semi-finals.
Iran, meanwhile, remain the most consistent challengers to India’s supremacy. finalists in the 2012 World Cup and silver medalists in the 2025 Asian Championship, Iran’s strength lies in discipline and defensive solidity. Their recent performances underline a program that has stabilised after the shock of losing to Chinese Taipei in the 2022 Asian Games semi-final.
With experienced players like Saeideh Jafarikoochi and a system built on physical raiding and sharp holds, Iran enter Group B as narrow favourites. However, the packed nature of the “Asian Fire Triangle” with Chinese Taipei and Nepal hungry to prove their continental rise ensures that Iran will be under high pressure from the very first whistle.
Chinese Taipei, whose 2022 Asian Games silver medal fundamentally reshaped the Asian hierarchy, stand out as the dark horse of the tournament. Their landmark 35–24 victory over Iran in the 2022 semi-final remains one of kabaddi’s biggest modern upsets. Now, in Group B, they must prove that their breakthrough was not a one-off. While their performance in the 2025 Asian Championship dipped, the psychological edge they hold over Iran could be decisive in determining the final group standings.
Chinese Taipei’s fast-paced raiding structure and aggressive offensive approach make them a dangerous opponent for any team, especially in short-format group-phase contests where momentum swings define outcomes.
Nepal, too, cannot be ignored. Their historic bronze at the 2022 Asian Games was a transformative achievement for the nation, placing them firmly among Asia’s competitive emerging powers. While their losses to India in subsequent tournaments have been heavy highlighting a gap that still remains they possess the hunger and tactical sharpness to challenge the established order. Their key test will be whether they can outmaneuver either Chinese Taipei or Iran in a high-pressure environment.
For Nepal, survival in Group B will depend not just on results but on point margins, fitness management, and emotional resilience across relentless back-to-back matches.
Bangladesh, the host nation and currently ranked fifth globally, stand at the center of the tournament’s most intriguing storyline. Having finished fifth in 2012, they now enter as ambitious semi-final contenders, buoyed by home advantage and a team that has shown steady improvement. Captain Rupali Akter, competing in her final international event, provides both emotional gravity and offensive leadership. Bangladesh’s recent victory over Thailand in continental competition signals their readiness to claim the second spot in Group A.
Their likely semi-final against a battered Group B runner-up presents a genuine opportunity to secure the nation’s first-ever World Cup medal.
Beyond the Asian powerhouses, the presence of three African nations Uganda, Kenya, and Zanzibar adds meaningful depth to the global narrative. Uganda’s “She Gradiators,” champions of the Africa Kabaddi Women’s Cup, have been training in a residential camp despite funding constraints. Kenya and Zanzibar, meanwhile, represent the growing interest in kabaddi across East Africa. For these teams, the World Cup is not merely a competition but a litmus test of how far their regional systems have progressed.
Their performances will also influence future IKF funding strategies as the federation seeks to expand the sport’s global footprint. As the tournament approaches, several broader questions surround the IKF’s governance. The multiple venue changes, scheduling collapses, and withdrawals of teams like Japan, Korea, Argentina, and the Netherlands have exposed structural weaknesses in the sport’s global framework. After Dhaka, the IKF must prioritise calendar stability, stronger communication with national federations, and more robust commercial partnerships to avoid a repeat of the 13-year hiatus.
Yet, despite these organizational strains, the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup 2025 promises to be a landmark moment. The uneven groups, rising powers, and complex cross-continental matchups make this edition both unpredictable and transformative.
India remain favourites for gold, but the battle for silver and bronze is wide open shaped as much by geography and group draw as by pure competitive merit.
