Global Pravasi Kabaddi League begins nationwide scouting for Season 2 with international expansion
Scouting spreads across four states
The Global Pravasi Kabaddi League has kicked off a nationwide talent hunt for its second season, sending scouts into academies and training centres across Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The four states represent some of the strongest kabaddi breeding grounds in the country, and the league is targeting players who can handle the demands of a structured franchise competition.
Karthik Dammu, who is overseeing the draft process, said players will be assessed on technical ability, fitness, tactical awareness and match temperament before being placed into a central draft pool. The goal is to build balanced squads that mix domestic experience with emerging international talent.
International players from three continents
The biggest change from Season 1 is the scale of international involvement. Season 2 will feature male and female athletes from across Europe, Africa and Asia. England, the Netherlands, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Germany are among the European nations expected to send players. From Africa, the league is looking at Kenya, Tanzania and Cameroon, while Hong Kong and Taiwan will represent the Asian contingent outside India.
It is an ambitious expansion for a league that only completed its inaugural season in April 2025, when the Marathi Vultures won the men's title and Tamil Lioness took the women's championship. That first edition featured 12 teams across men's and women's divisions, broadcast on Sony Sports Network, FanCode and DD Sports.
Men's and women's teams under the same franchise
Each franchise in Season 2 will field both a men's and a women's team under the same banner, which gives the women's competition a financial and marketing boost that standalone leagues often lack. The player draft system is designed to prevent talent from clustering in one or two squads and to keep every match competitive.
Kabaddi continues to grow beyond the Pro Kabaddi League. The Kabaddi Champions League wrapped up its inaugural season in February with the Rohtak Royals defeating the Bhiwani Bulls 32-30 in the final at the Sports University of Haryana, while the Haryana Steelers Cup is scheduled for later this month. The GPKL's international ambitions add another layer to a sport that is slowly building a presence outside South Asia.
