Kabaddi at Aichi-Nagoya: the raid-and-tackle contest

Kabaddi’s place on the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games programme brings one of South Asia’s most distinctive team sports to a continental audience. A match turns on a repeated contest between a lone raider and a defending group, with momentum able to change in a matter of seconds.

How a raid works

Seven players make up a side on court. One raider enters the other team’s half and tries to touch defenders before returning safely to their own half. Defenders aim to stop the return. A successful touch-and-return can earn points for the attacking team, while a successful tackle rewards the defenders.

The raid gives kabaddi its rhythm: teams alternate attack and defence, and every player must be ready to switch roles. The contest combines quick footwork and timing with coordinated defensive positioning.

For a viewer new to the sport, the simplest way to follow a passage of play is to watch whether the raider reaches home after contact. That moment decides which side gains from the exchange.