Archive · 28 Sep 2026
Kabaddi Leads Asian Games’ Lineup of Regional Sports
The Asian Games include famous Olympic sports and several sports that are especially popular in Asia.
Kabaddi is one of the most unusual sports in the competition.
In kabaddi, one player runs into the other team’s area, tags players, and tries to get back safely.
The other team tries to stop that player by tackling them.
India won both kabaddi finals against Iran.
Another sport, sepaktakraw, is like volleyball, but players kick the ball instead of using their hands.
Wushu is a martial art with both choreographed performances and fighting competitions.
These sports give countries around Asia a chance to compete in events with strong regional traditions.
India won the men’s and women’s kabaddi finals, defeating Iran 40-34 and 37-34.
Kabaddi is a seven-player contact sport in which raiders tag opponents and return without being tackled.
Kabaddi has roots in the Indian subcontinent and attracts millions of viewers through professional leagues there.
Sepaktakraw combines volleyball-like scoring with kicking over a five-foot-high net and has roots in Southeast Asia.
Wushu, also known as kung fu, includes choreographed routines and full-contact sanda competition and has appeared at the Asian Games since 1990.
- Who
- India, Iran, and athletes competing in kabaddi, sepaktakraw, and wushu at the Asian Games.
- What
- Regional sports, especially kabaddi, are being featured alongside more widely known Olympic sports.
- When
- The kabaddi results were from the Asian Games described; wushu has been part of the Asian Games since 1990.
- Where
- The sports are associated with the Asian Games and traditions from the Indian subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia.
- Why
- The Asian Games include regional sports that may not receive broad attention outside Asia.
- Kabaddi finals
- India defeated Iran 37-34 in the women’s final and 40-34 in the men’s final.
- Kabaddi teams
- The Asian Games format uses two teams of seven players.
- Kabaddi scoring
- Players score by tagging opponents or stopping the opposing raider.
- Kabaddi timing
- Matches consist of two 20-minute halves, with a raider given 30 seconds to complete an attempt.
- Sepaktakraw
- Players kick a ball over a five-foot-high net, and teams may have two, three, or four players per side.
- Wushu
- Wushu entered the Asian Games in 1990 and includes taolu routines and full-contact sanda.