Insights · Court dimensions
Kabaddi Ground Measurement
A men’s kabaddi court measures 13 m × 10 m: 13 m between the end lines and 10 m across, including a 1 m lobby on each side. Women’s and junior girls’ courts are 12 × 8 m and sub-junior courts 11 × 8 m. The baulk line is 3.75 m from the mid-line (3 m for women and sub-juniors), and the bonus line is 1 m beyond it. Source: the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India rulebook, Rules & Regulations of Kabaddi, Version 2.1.0, which follows the International Kabaddi Federation rules.
Field measurement chart
| Measurement (metres) | Men & junior boys | Women & junior girls | Sub-junior boys & girls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side lines (end line to end line) | 13 | 12 | 11 |
| End lines (court width, including lobbies) | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Lobby, each side | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Mid-line length | 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Each half (mid-line to end line) | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 |
| Baulk line from the mid-line | 3.75 | 3 | 3 |
| Baulk line length | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Bonus line beyond the baulk line | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bonus line length | 8 | 6 | 6 |
| Sitting block (2 m from the end line) | 8 × 1 | 6 × 1 | 6 × 1 |
| Clear space beyond the side lines | 4 | 4 | 4 |
From the Field Measurement Chart in the AKFI rulebook, Version 2.1.0 (rules of the International Kabaddi Federation). All figures in metres. Lines are 3–5 cm wide and form part of the field of play.
How the court is laid out
The side lines (13 m for men) run the length of the court and the end lines (10 m) close each end. A 1 m lobby runs along each side, the full length of the court; the lobbies become part of the playing field once a struggle begins. Inside the lobbies the playing area is 13 × 8 m for men — our arithmetic from the chart.
- Mid-line — divides the court into two halves of 6.5 m each (men), and runs across the full 10 m including the lobbies.
- Baulk line — the first line parallel to the mid-line in each half, 3.75 m from it for men and junior boys, 3 m for women, junior girls and sub-juniors. It runs between the lobbies: 8 m long for men, 6 m otherwise.
- Bonus line — 1 m beyond the baulk line, towards the end line, and the same length. For men that puts it 4.75 m from the mid-line and 1.75 m from the end line (our arithmetic).
- Sitting blocks — for out and extra players, at least 2 m behind each end line: 8 × 1 m for men, 6 × 1 m for women and sub-juniors. Their exact position is fixed by the tournament director or technical delegate.
All lines are 3–5 cm wide and are part of the field of play, so the dimensions run to the outside edges of the boundary lines.
Ground size and surface
The rulebook asks for a ground of 20 × 20 m where possible, and not less than 17 × 18 m, with 4 m of clear space beyond the side lines. Kabaddi is played on a synthetic mat or on soft soil. The specified mat is Japanese synthetic rubber with ethylene vinyl acetate, 25–30 Shore A hardness and 25–40 mm thick, laid over proper carpeting.
AKFI’s executive committee recorded in October 2025 that a revised rulebook and a standard mat specification are being prepared. Until they are published, Version 2.1.0 is the current AKFI rulebook.
Indoor and beach kabaddi
| Format | Field of play | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Indoor kabaddi — men & junior boys | 11 × 9 m | Ground 18 × 18 m desirable, 15 × 17 m min. |
| Indoor kabaddi — women & junior girls | 10 × 8 m | — |
| Beach kabaddi — men & junior boys | 11 × 7 m | Sand at least 30 cm deep; 3 m clear space |
| Beach kabaddi — women & junior girls | 10 × 6 m | — |
| Beach kabaddi — sub-junior | 9 × 6 m | — |
Beach kabaddi has no baulk line, bonus line or lobbies; its boundaries are ropes 1–2 cm in diameter. Both formats are in the same AKFI rulebook.
Figures that circulate but are wrong
- “Men’s court 12.5 × 10 m, women’s 11 × 8 m.” Those figures come from an older 2004 rule text of a different body. The AKFI rulebook gives 13 × 10 m for men and junior boys, 12 × 8 m for women and junior girls, and 11 × 8 m for sub-juniors.
- “The bonus line is 3.75 m from the mid-line.” The baulk line is 3.75 m from the mid-line (men); the bonus line is 1 m beyond it.
- “Boundary lines are 1 m wide.” Lines are 3–5 cm wide. One metre is the width of each lobby.
- “The sitting block is 8 m from the end line.” It is at least 2 m behind the end line; 8 m is the block’s length for men.
- “13 × 10 m is the court without the lobbies.” The 10 m end line includes both 1 m lobbies. The area between them is 13 × 8 m.
What this means for a kabaddi venue
The court is small; the venue is not. A purpose-built kabaddi arena is planned around the 20 × 20 m ground the rulebook asks for, the sitting blocks and officials’ positions, and spectator geometry that sits close to the mat — closer to a wrestling or boxing venue than to a court hall. League-level venues add broadcast camera positions, lighting for television and outside-broadcast access.
We plan kabaddi courts, academies and arenas from these figures. See Kabaddi & Kho-Kho Arena Design and our Kabaddi & Kho-Kho Sports Complex concept.
Sources
- Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India — Rules & Regulations of All Forms of Kabaddi, Version 2.1.0 (minor correction 8 November 2017)
- AKFI — Rules and regulations page
- AKFI — Minutes of the virtual executive committee meeting, 14 October 2025 (rulebook revision)
Figures checked against these documents on 2 Oct 2026. Where a figure is our own arithmetic from official values, the text says so.
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