Table of Contents
What Is Kho Kho?
Kho Kho is a traditional Indian tag sport played between two teams of 12 players each. One team chases, the other defends. The game moves fast: at full pace, chasers can cover the length of the field in seconds, cutting and changing direction to tag defenders before time runs out. It’s one of the oldest organised team sports in India, and the 2025 World Cup and a thriving professional league have finally given it the global audience it deserves.
A Brief History of Kho Kho
Kho Kho’s roots stretch back centuries. Some historians link it to “Rathera”, a chariot-based pursuit game from ancient Indian texts, with possible references as far back as the Mahabharata. The modern version, with a standardised field and formalised rules, was organised in 1914 by the Deccan Gymkhana club in Pune. Bal Gangadhar Tilak wrote the first rule book.
International exposure came early. Kho Kho was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics alongside other traditional Indian games. Back home, the sport got its governing body in 1955, when the Kho-Kho Federation of India (KKFI) was established, originally called the Akhil Bhartiya Kho Kho Mandal. The first national championship followed in Vijayawada during the 1959-60 season.
Kho Kho is now a medal event at the South Asian Games, first included in 2016. India is actively pursuing its inclusion in the 2026 Asian Games as a step toward Olympic recognition.
How to Play Kho Kho: The Rules
A standard Kho Kho match is played in two innings. Each inning lasts 9 minutes, separated by a 2-minute break. Teams alternate roles: one inning chasing, one defending. The team with the most points at the end wins.
The Chasing Team
Nine players from the chasing team take the field. Eight sit in the central lane in crouched positions, alternately facing opposite ends of the field. One player, the “active chaser”, runs freely to tag defenders. The active chaser can hand off the pursuit by tapping a seated teammate and shouting “Kho!” That teammate becomes the new active chaser.
This handoff system is the heart of the game. A well-timed Kho can cut off a defender’s escape route almost instantly. Team coordination matters as much as individual speed.
The Defending Team
Three defenders enter the field at a time. Once a defender is tagged, they’re out and the next defender enters. The defending team scores by surviving as long as possible: the longer they last without being tagged, the fewer points the chasing team earns.
Scoring
The chasing team earns one point for each defender tagged. The total points scored in the chasing inning set the target for the defending inning.
Key Rules
- The active chaser cannot cross the central lane to the other side; only seated chasers switch directions when they receive a “Kho”
- Defenders cannot cross the central lane either
- Defenders can move anywhere within the boundary
- A “Kho” must be given to the nearest sitting chaser, not any chaser of the active player’s choosing
Kho Kho Field Dimensions and Equipment
The Kho Kho court measures 27 metres long and 16 metres wide. Adding the 1.5-metre lobby on all sides, the total ground area required is 30m x 19m. Two wooden poles mark the ends of the court, placed 24 metres apart. The central lane connecting them is 24 metres long and 30 centimetres wide.
Equipment is minimal: just the poles and boundary markings. Players wear team kits with non-slip footwear. No ball is used. A flat ground, two poles, and twelve players per team is all it takes.
Ultimate Kho Kho: The Professional League
The launch of Ultimate Kho Kho in 2022 transformed the sport commercially. Backed by JSW Sports with a Star Sports broadcasting deal, India’s first professional Kho Kho league brought franchise cricket-style structure to the game. Six franchises represent cities across India, competing in matches played under floodlights in indoor arenas.
Season 1 (2022) was won by Odisha Juggernauts. Season 2 followed in January 2024, when Gujarat Giants beat Chennai Quick Guns 31-26 in the final at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack. Sanket Kadam was the standout performer as Gujarat sealed the trophy.
The league has raised the sport’s profile significantly among younger audiences and created professional opportunities for athletes who previously had none in Kho Kho.
Kho Kho World Cup 2025: India Makes History
January 2025 was the biggest moment in Kho Kho’s modern history. The inaugural Kho Kho World Cup, held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi, brought together 20 men’s teams and 19 women’s teams from across the globe, organised by the International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF) and backed by the Indian Olympic Association.
India won every match in the group stage and knockout rounds. In the men’s final on 19 January 2025, India beat Nepal 54-36. In the women’s final on the same day, India won 78-40 against Nepal.
The World Cup used the seven-a-side “fast format”, a compressed version of the sport designed for broadcast. Nepal finished runners-up in both categories. With 23 countries participating and strong IOA backing, Kho Kho now has serious international momentum.
Kho Kho’s Olympic Pathway
Kho Kho was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics but hasn’t been on the Olympic programme since. The governing bodies are targeting the 2026 Asian Games as the next major milestone, with the long-term goal being the 2036 Olympics, which India is bidding to host in Ahmedabad.
Asian Games inclusion would mean Olympic Council of Asia recognition, standardised international competition, and the structural investment that accelerates a sport’s global reach. Given the 2025 World Cup momentum, that inclusion looks closer than at any point in the sport’s history.
Why Kho Kho Matters
Kho Kho has survived for over a century because it requires almost nothing to play: no expensive equipment, no specialist facilities, no large budget. For millions of children across India, it’s one of the first team sports they ever play. The emergence of Ultimate Kho Kho, the World Cup, and a genuine Olympic pathway mean the sport is entering a new phase. It doesn’t have to choose between grassroots simplicity and professional ambition.
Whether you first played it in a school ground in Maharashtra or just caught a match on Star Sports, Kho Kho rewards the same things: speed, spatial awareness, and split-second decision-making. That hasn’t changed in 110 years.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kho Kho
How many players are in a Kho Kho team?
Each Kho Kho team has 12 players, but only 9 take the field at a time. In the chasing team, 8 sit in the central lane and 1 is the active chaser. In the defending team, 3 defenders are on the field at any one time.
What are the dimensions of a Kho Kho field?
The playing court is 27 metres long and 16 metres wide. With the 1.5-metre lobby on all sides, the full ground measures 30m x 19m. Two poles at opposite ends are placed 24 metres apart, connected by a central lane.
Who won the Kho Kho World Cup 2025?
India won both the men’s and women’s titles at the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup 2025, held in New Delhi. In the finals on 19 January 2025, India beat Nepal 54-36 (men’s) and 78-40 (women’s) at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
What is Ultimate Kho Kho?
Ultimate Kho Kho is India’s professional Kho Kho league, launched in 2022. Six city-based franchises compete in a tournament format. Gujarat Giants won Season 2 in January 2024, defeating Chennai Quick Guns 31-26 in the final. The league is backed by JSW Sports and broadcast on Star Sports.
When was Kho Kho standardised?
Kho Kho was given its modern standardised rules in 1914 by the Deccan Gymkhana club in Pune. Bal Gangadhar Tilak wrote the first rule book. The Kho-Kho Federation of India (KKFI) was established in 1955.
Is Kho Kho an Olympic sport?
Not yet. Kho Kho was demonstrated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics but hasn’t been included in the programme since. India is working toward inclusion in the 2026 Asian Games, which would be a major step toward eventual Olympic recognition, potentially at the 2036 Games in Ahmedabad.
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