England Kabaddi Association
England Kabaddi Association was founded in 2004 and has engaged in several projects to promote and encourage the South Asian ancient sport of Kabaddi in England.
Overview of Funding and How It Helped Achieve Objectives
Comic Relief International (CFRI) funding supported the England Kabaddi Association’s core delivery programmes throughout 2025, including participation initiatives, workforce development, competitions, youth engagement, women’s participation, coaching and officiating courses, holiday camps, and international representation. The funding enabled the organisation to strengthen grassroots delivery, improve coaching capacity, and expand participation opportunities across England.
The investment directly contributed to the growth and sustainability of Kabaddi by helping the organisation:
- Establish new clubs nationally
- Expand women’s and youth participation
- Deliver school and community programmes
- Train and develop coaches and officials
- Deliver regional, national, and international tournaments
- Support elite athlete development and international competition participation
Key achievements included:
- 6 new Kabaddi clubs established nationally, increasing total affiliated clubs to 15
- Women’s teams increased to 10, exceeding the original target of 8
- 67 certified coaches and officials trained (40 coaches and 27 officials)
- 5 youth holiday camps delivered
- 25 school Kabaddi programmes delivered nationally
- 7 community Kabaddi events delivered
- Men’s and women’s teams achieved second-place finishes in the World Cup Final, contributing to a Top 6 World Cup finish overall
The funding supported a wide range of beneficiaries across England, including:
- 67 coaches and officials trained
- 35 elite athletes supported
- 378 new players registered
- 350 youth players engaged
- 220 community participants involved in activities and events
