Kabaddi Ground Size — Official Court Dimensions

Official Kabaddi Court Size: • Men (Senior): 13 metres × 10 metres • Women (Senior): 12 metres × 8 metres • Junior (boys): 11 metres × 8 metres • Junior (girls): 11 metres × 8 metres • Under-12 (boys): 9 metres × 7 metres

Court Layout: • The court is divided into two equal halves by the Mid Line (centre line) • Each team defends one half of the court • Baulk Line: drawn parallel to the mid line, 3.75 m from the mid line on each side (men); this is the minimum distance the raider must cross while chanting 'kabaddi kabaddi' • Bonus Line: drawn 1 metre beyond the baulk line (in men's and women's international); if a raider crosses this line with at least one foot on the ground while the opposing team has 6+ players, the raider scores a bonus point • End Lines: the outer boundary lines at each end • Lobby: 1-metre strip on either side of the court (outside the main court area); it becomes active only when a struggle begins between raiders and defenders

Basic Rules of Kabaddi:

1. A raider crosses into the opponent's half, touches one or more defenders, and returns to their half — all on a single breath (chanting 'kabaddi kabaddi')
2. Defenders try to hold the raider and prevent them from returning
3. A raider who returns safely earns a point for each defender they touched
4. A defender who tackles (holds) the raider earns a point for their team if the raider doesn't return
5. Each team has 7 players on the court; substitutes can be made
6. A match consists of two halves of 20 minutes each, with a 5-minute break

Forms of Kabaddi:

1. Sanjeevani Kabaddi: revived players; most popular form; basis of Pro Kabaddi League
2. Gaminee Kabaddi: no revivals
3. Amar Kabaddi: no outs; played in Punjab/Haryana
4. Punjabi Kabaddi (Circle Style): played in a circular pit (mud surface)

Kabaddi in India: • National Game of Bangladesh (also very popular in India, South Asia) • Pro Kabaddi League: launched 2014; franchise-based domestic tournament • India has won multiple Kabaddi World Cups • Kabaddi is an Asian Games discipline since 1990 (Beijing)