About the Africa Kabaddi Union

The continental governing body for kabaddi in Africa — what it does, how it is organised and where it has come from.

The Africa Kabaddi Union is the continental governing body for kabaddi in Africa. It sanctions the African championships, affiliates national federations, sets the competition calendar and decides which nations carry the continent into the Kabaddi World Cups.

AKU works with the International Kabaddi Federation, whose officials sit alongside member federations when hosting rights are awarded and whose rules govern competition on AKU courts. The continental championships are the official qualification events for the respective Kabaddi World Cups.

The Union’s registered head office is in Harare. Its championships have been staged in Nairobi, Juja and Zanzibar, and 12 national federations publish a crest in its member listing.

Teams line up behind their national flags at the opening ceremony of the Africa Kabaddi Championship at Kasarani Indoor Arena, Nairobi. — Opening ceremony, Africa Kabaddi Championship 2024, Kasarani Indoor Arena, Nairobi.

Member federations with a published crest

Championships in the forward cycle

Championships with a published result

IKF

Affiliated to the International Kabaddi Federation

What AKU does

The Union’s functions, as they appear in its own competition documents and championship reports.

Sanction and award championships

AKU opens continental championships to hosting bids from affiliated federations, evaluates them against published criteria and awards hosting rights by a vote of the membership together with IKF representatives. Hosts sign a hosting agreement with the Union.

Set the competition standard

Courts are marked to IKF rules. AKU appoints certified match officials, requires a doping control room where applicable, and specifies venue, medical, security and technical standards a host must meet.

Affiliate national federations

Only federations affiliated to AKU and in good standing financially and administratively may bid to host, vote, or enter teams in continental championships.

Represent Africa internationally

AKU championships qualify African nations for the Kabaddi World Cups. African teams have also competed at the Bangabandhu Cup in Dhaka, where Kenya took bronze in 2024.

The Union’s history Governance Leadership