Kabaddi Rules: How to Play Kabaddi

These kabaddi rules explain the game as it is played in schools, clubs and village grounds across India, following the standard amateur rules used in most competitions. Kabaddi is a fast contact team sport with deep roots in rural India. It needs no ball or bat, only a marked court, two teams of seven and plenty of breath. One player, the raider, crosses into the opponents' half, tries to touch defenders and get back, while the defenders try to stop them.

Quick rules

• Two teams of 7 players on court, each in its own half.
• Teams take turns sending one raider into the opposite half.
• The raider must chant "kabaddi" continuously, in one breath, and return within 30 seconds.
• Each defender the raider touches and gets back from is out, and the raiding team scores 1 point per player.
• If defenders stop the raider from returning, the raider is out and the defending team scores 1 point.
• Out players come back in (revival) when their team scores.
• Wiping out the whole opposing team earns 2 extra points, called an all out or lona.

What you need

• A flat, soft surface: a mud ground, sand pit or synthetic mat.
• Lime, chalk or tape to mark the lines.
• Two teams of up to 12 players (7 play, 5 substitutes), a referee and a scorer.
• A stopwatch for halves and raid time.

Setup: the kabaddi court

• The midline divides the court into two halves.
• The baulk line runs across each half. A raider must cross it for the raid to count.
• The bonus line sits 1 m beyond the baulk line, towards the end line.
• The lobbies are the side strips. They come into play only once a struggle (contact) begins.

How to play

1. Toss and start

1. Captains toss. The winner chooses either a side of the court or the first raid.
2. Teams change sides at half time, and the team that did not raid first starts the second half.

2. The raid

1. The raider starts chanting "kabaddi" before crossing the midline. This chant is called the cant and must be clear and unbroken.
2. The raider enters the opponents' half, crosses the baulk line with at least one foot, and tries to touch defenders with a hand, foot or any part of the body.
3. The raider must return to their own half within 30 seconds, still chanting.
4. Teams raid alternately. Players on the raiding side must take turns as raider.

3. Defending

1. Defenders, called antis or stoppers, try to hold the raider in their half until the raider loses the cant or the raid time ends.
2. Defenders must not cross the midline while a raid is on.
3. A successful tackle puts the raider out.

4. Outs and revival

• Each player put out sits in the sitting block at the end of the court in the order they went out.
• When a team scores a point against the opponents, one of its out players is revived, first out, first in.
• A player who steps outside the boundary without a struggle is out.

5. Do or die raid

If a team makes two empty raids in a row (no points either way), its third raid is a do or die raid. The raider must score at least one point or be declared out.

Kabaddi points table

For a bonus point, the raider's trailing foot must be in the air and the other foot fully over the bonus line. Bonus and touch points can be scored in the same raid. Super tackle and do or die raid rules come from modern competition rules and some local tournaments still play without them.

Fouls and penalties

• Holding a raider by the hair, clothes or anything other than the body and limbs.
• Hitting, kicking, pushing out of the court on purpose, or blocking the raider's mouth or throat.
• Two or more players raiding at once, or the raider breaking the cant and restarting.
• Entering the court when out, or a defender crossing the midline during a raid.
• Coaching from outside the court beyond what the rules allow.

The referee may award a technical point, issue a warning (green card), suspend a player for 2 minutes (yellow card) or send a player off (red card).

How to win

The team with more points at the end of both halves wins. In knockout matches a tie leads to extra time, and if still level, a golden raid decides the winner.

10 rules of kabaddi to remember

1. Seven players per side on court.
2. One raider at a time, teams raiding in turn.
3. The cant must be continuous.
4. Each raid lasts no more than 30 seconds.
5. The raider must cross the baulk line.
6. One point per defender touched.
7. One point to the defence for a successful tackle.
8. Out players return through revival.
9. All out earns 2 extra points.
10. Lobbies count only after a struggle starts.

Variations

• Circle kabaddi: played on a circular ground in Punjab, with different raiding and stopping rules.
• Traditional forms: sanjeevani (with revival), gaminee (no revival, play until all are out) and amar (out players are not removed).
• Beach kabaddi: smaller teams on sand with a smaller court.
• School and home games: use a smaller court, fewer players and gentle touching only.

Tips and strategy

• Raiders: practise breath control so your cant lasts. Feint and use the bonus line when defenders hang back.
• Defenders: hold your chain, move together and tackle the raider's ankles, thighs or waist.
• Do not rush a tackle with only one defender. A failed tackle gives the raider a point.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting that lobbies are out of bounds before any contact.
• Defenders stepping over the midline.
• Grabbing a raider's jersey, which is a foul.

Love outdoor Indian games? Read our rules for kho kho, gilli danda and lagori, or explore more Indian traditional games. The team generator helps split players fairly.