2025 Kho Kho World Cup
The 2025 Kho Kho World Cup was the first edition of the Kho Kho World Cup. It was held at the Indira Gandhi Arena in New Delhi, India from 13 to 19 January 2025. The tournament was organized by the Kho Kho Federation of India and the International Kho Kho Federation.
India defeated Nepal in both the men's and women's competition to be crowned champions.
Format
It was played under the seven-a-side fast format used for Ultimate Kho Kho. The teams were split into four groups, and there were two stages: the group stage, followed by the knockout stage.Group Stage
- In the group stage of the men's tournament, teams were divided into four groups of five teams for the initial round-robin phase, with each team competing against others in their group to determine standings. A total of 40 matches were played in this stage.
- In the group stage of the women's tournament, teams were divided into four groups of five teams each for the initial round-robin phase, with each team competing against others in their group to determine standings. A total of 36 matches were played in this stage.
Knockout Stage
- In the knockout stage of both men's and women's tournaments, the top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage, including quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final match.
Prizes
There were no cash prizes, but the teams were honored with trophies, medals, and other recognitions.Background
The trophy and mascots for the inaugural edition were unveiled on 3 January 2025 at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The blue trophy is for the men's competition while the green trophy is for the women's.Participants
The event witnessed the participation of 23 countries from six continents, featuring 20 men's and 19 women's teams. Each squad had 15 players, one coach, one manager and international technical officials.Canada and Pakistan had been due to participate, but the Canadian team pulled out due to worsening Canada–India relations at the time, while the Pakistani team was not granted visas. In total, 35 countries sought to participate, but restrictions were in place to ensure continental balance.
Men's tournament
Women's tournament
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