Kabaddi League comes to Birmingham on tailcoat of Commonwealth Games 2022

Kabaddi fans unite as the massively popular Indian sport launches in a new UK league. The British Kabaddi League is making its entrance in the UK on the back of the Commonwealth Games 2022. Tournaments are set to take place over April in Birmingham as well as Manchester, Glasgow and Wolverhampton.

Prem Singh, CEO of British Kabaddi, said: "We are delighted that so many people from different and diverse backgrounds have come together to present this amazing sports project. The BKL was created by the communities and will be used to promote positive community engagement and celebrate cultural diversity."

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The League has been established by English and Scottish Kabaddi, with support from the West Midlands Growth Company. Teams including the Birmingham Bulls will compete alongside Wolverhampton Wolfpack, Walsall Hunters and Leicester Warriors, alongside London Lions, Edinburgh Eagles, Glasgow Unicorns and Manchester Raiders.

Kabaddi, originating from India, is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and the second most popular sport in South Asia after cricket. The contact game involves two teams on opposing halves of a court, where individual players take turns crossing over to the other side.

You score points by tagging as many opponents as possible without being caught before returning to your half. "Kabaddi, Kabaddi" is shouted repeatedly as the frenzied games takes place. Sports Fever is catching on as the league is backed by Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Business and Tourism Programme (BATP), which hopes to champion the economic legacy of the games.

Trade and tourism links across the Commonwealth nations are also hoped to