Kabaddi World Cup makes historic debut in England

The first Kabaddi World Cup outside of Asia is being held this week in Wolverhampton, England. Teams from nine different countries are competing in this tournament, showcasing the sport's rich history and athleticism. Kabaddi is a game that has been played for about 4,000 years. It involves two teams of seven players each. One team attacks while the other defends. During an attack, a player, known as the raider, enters the opponent's side and tries to touch as many defenders as possible or cross a bonus line, all while chanting “kabaddi.” The defending team’s goal is to stop the raider by tagging them or pushing them out of the court. If a raider successfully touches a defender or crosses the bonus line, they earn points for their team. However, if defenders are tagged, they must leave the court but can return if their team successfully completes a raid. On Friday, matches took place in Walsall, with additional games held in Birmingham and Coventry. The finals are set to be held in Wolverhampton. The host nation, England, will compete against India in both the men's and women's championship matches, which are sold out.