Day One Recap – 17th March
Opening ceremony
The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 got underway with a vibrant opening ceremony which set the tone for the tournament, featuring live dhol performances by students aged 9–19 from Wolverhampton Music Service, a dynamic professional Bollywood dance troupe, and a grand athlete procession led by youth representatives from Wolverhampton Wrestling Club.
Match results
Match 1: England v Hungary (men): Final score: England 101 v Hungary 25
Match 2: India v Italy (men): Final score: India 64 v Italy 22
Match 3: Poland v Wales (women): Final score: Poland 44 v Wales 58
Match 4: Hungary v Hong Kong China (women): Final score: Hungary 20 v Hong Kong China 73
Match 5: Scotland v Wales (men): Final score: Scotland 63 v Wales 43
Match 6: USA v Hungary (men): Final score: USA 87 v Hungary 35
Daily Summary from S.T.Arasu, General Secretary World Kabaddi
Naturally, India started strong today, and are the favourites to win, however it was really encouraging to see the European teams looking technically far stronger than in previous international tournaments as the sport develops in each country. England and Scotland are both looking on good form and, whilst defeating India might be a challenge too far, I think they will be exciting to watch over the next few matches – fast paced, strategic and technical. The Scotland / Wales match was a really interesting match, and we’re really seeing the progression of the game as it evolves quickly within countries who have taken up the sport more recently. Some of the newer teams are still earlier in their learning curve, but are picking up as each receive more focus and investment within their countries. I expect we will see the teams progress further in their skill levels through the week as they have the opportunity to compete at the highest level against each other. In particular, the Hong Kong China women’s team was very exciting to watch today, with a mix of players that has changed significantly over time.
The crowd made all the difference today and great to welcome so many people to watch the matches live and create a lively atmosphere. In addition to those in the stadium, there’s a lot of interest across the UK and I think the championships will give the sport a boost here in the UK, as well as the interest from the 500 million viewers globally.
