Birmingham will host next Kho Kho World Cup in 2027:  Sudhanshu Mittal

KKWC 2025 was a huge success. We are delighted to announce that the next kho kho World Cup will be held in Birmingham, England in 2026-2027. We will be more than happy to see the second edition become bigger than the first one and surpass all expectations. We will also organize World Championship. We want to organize atleast one international Championship in a year.The next congress session of the International Kho Kho Federation will take place on April 17, where the strategy for the next four years will be discussed and formalised – Sudhanshu Mittal

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: After the successful conclusion of the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup 2025, the president of International Kho Kho Federation Shri. Sudhanshu Mittal announced the venue for the next edition of the tournament, revealing Birmingham as the host for the 2027 World Cup.

The first edition of the World Cup concluded on Sunday, January 19 with the Indian team lifting the trophy in both men’s and women’s category. The post-tournament press conference was held on Monday evening and was attended by the General Secretary of KKFI Shri. M.S. Tyagi, Secretary General of International Kho Kho Federation Shri. Rohit Haldania, Mr. Virender Kumar from Ease My Trip, CEO of KKWC Major General Vikram Dev Dogra and both the World Cup winning captains- Pratik Waikar and Priyanka Ingle.

Indian captain Pratik Waikar hands over the World Cup trophy to KKFI President Sudhanshu Mittal and Secretary General MS Tyagi.

The captains expressed their feelings and emotions on the victory while handing over the trophy to the KKFI President and Secretary General,. Coaches of both teams, Mr. Sumit Bhatia, Dr. Munni Joon (women’s team) and Mr. Ashwani Sharma (Men’s team) also expressed their gratitude to the federation for organizing the event and helping the sport gain global recognition.

Indian captain Priyanka Ingle hands over the World Cup trophy to KKFI President Sudhanshu Mittal and Secretary General MS Tyagi.

President of the Kho Kho Federation of India, Shri. Sudhanshu Mittal said, “KKWC 2025 was a huge success. We are delighted to announce that the next kho kho World Cup will be held in Birmingham, England in 2026-2027. We will be more than happy to see the second edition become bigger than the first one and surpass all expectations. We will also organize World Championship. We want to organize atleast one international Championship in a year. ” He further added, “The next congress session of the International Kho Kho Federation will also take place on April 17 where the strategy for the next four years will be discussed and formalised.”

Shri. Sudhanshu Mittal.

While announcing the venue for the next Kho Kho World Cup, Shri. Sudhanshu Mittal also revealed that various politicians and dignitaries congratulated the Indian teams for the success in the World Cup. These dignitaries included, President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi, Home Minister Shri. Amit Shah, President of Bharatiya Janata Party and Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizer Shri. J.P. Nadda, Minister of Road and Transport Shri. Nitin Gadkari, Chief Minister of Maharashtra Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh Shri. Brajesh Pathak and Shri. Keshav Prasad Maurya, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Shri. Bhajan Lal Sharma, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri. Rahul Gandhi, Aam Aadmi Party leader Shri. Arvind Kejriwal and President of Samajwadi Party Shri. Akhilesh Yadav.

Smt. Droupadi Murmu.

President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu wrote on X “I convey my heartiest congratulations to both the Indian teams, women’s and men’s, for winning the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup. Indian players have demonstrated their supremacy in this traditional game of our country. I am sure that the historic success of our girls and boys will inspire our youth, making the game more popular. I wish both the teams sustained success in the future.”

Shri Narendra Modi.

Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi wrote on X “Today’s a great day for Indian Kho Kho.Incredibly proud of Indian Men’s Kho Kho team for winning the Kho Kho World Cup title. Their grit and dedication is commendable. This win will contribute to further popularising Kho Kho among the youth.”

Shri. Rahul Gandhi.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri. Rahul Gandhi wrote on  X “Proud of our men’s and women’s teams for their historic triumphs at the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup!Your grit, determination, and teamwork have made India shine on the global stage.Wishing you a bright future ahead—your achievements will undoubtedly inspire a remarkable generation of players!”

Shri. Devendra Fadnavis.

Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Shri. Devendra Fadnavis wrote on X “Indian Men’s Kho Kho Team Makes History with Inaugural World Cup Victory! The celebration doesn’t stop here! Congratulations to the Indian Men’s Kho Kho team for their spectacular win over Nepal, clinching the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup title! 🇮🇳

A special mention to Maharashtra’s heroes—Indian Team Captain Pratik Waikar, an employee of MSEDCL, Pune Zone; Aditya Ganpule; Ramji Kashyap; Aniket Pote; and Suyash Gargate—for their stellar performance and dedication in this remarkable achievement.

This victory celebrates our rich heritage and sets an inspiring path for the next generation to embrace and excel in traditional sports.”