The Iran women's kabaddi team completed a six-day joint training camp at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre in Sonepat, playing a series of practice matches against the Indian women's kabaddi team ahead of the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya. The Iranian squad arrived on 13 August and also faced local sides at the SAI campus, making it a multi-opponent exposure exercise for both nations.

Purpose and Structure of the Camp

The camp was designed as a cross-border learning exercise, giving both sides competitive match practice in a controlled environment. While the primary beneficiary was the Iranian squad — preparing for a tournament where kabaddi competition is intense — Indian players also gained exposure to a different international playing style and tactical approach. The camp represents a growing trend of bilateral sports diplomacy through shared training infrastructure.

Iran's Young Squad and the India Advantage

Iran women's team head coach Gholamreza Mazandarani acknowledged the squad is in a significant rebuilding phase. 'For us, it is a very good chance to play friendly matches, improve the players and improve our team tactics. We want to show a better team in the Asian Games. It has been a good experience for our team because our team is very young now and we have changed maybe more than 80 per cent of the team from the last Asian Games,' Mazandarani said.

He also highlighted the sheer scale of India's kabaddi ecosystem as a structural advantage. 'In Iran we have around 3,000 to 4,000 kabaddi players in men and women. But here, I feel maybe you have more than 10 million kabaddi players. One kabaddi player in India, whether a teenager, junior or senior, maybe has more than 50–60 matches in a year. This is a big point for them,' he added.

India's Takeaways from the Exchange

India women's kabaddi team coach Naveen Kumar said the camp was particularly valuable for the country's younger players. 'Most of our new players are at the junior level, and they got an opportunity to learn a lot from playing against the Iranian team. They got to understand how Iran plays, and it also gave us an idea of how our young squad needs to prepare for the future,' he said.

Kumar also noted the experience within the Iranian ranks. 'The Iranian team also had players who have featured in three Asian Games, so they have a lot of experience. Their fitness, strength and explosive power are very good, and our young players can learn a lot from them,' he added.

Iran Player's View of SAI Sonepat

Iran player Zahra Karimi, visiting India for the third time, pointed to the structural gap between the two countries' kabaddi ecosystems. 'One of the biggest differences between Iran and India is that we don't have so many players in Iran and we can't compete with different players. India also has national games in their own country, which is very good for them, but we don't have that,' she said.

Karimi also praised the SAI facility itself. 'I think the SAI Academy is a very good place for athletes. I saw athletes from other sports staying here, practising and living here. It is very good because they can only think about their sport,' she noted.

A Blueprint for Kabaddi's Global Growth

Coach Mazandarani expressed hope that such exchanges could evolve into longer-term partnerships. 'I think the base of kabaddi is in India. Every coach and every player who wants to improve and come to the top level needs to come to India. Maybe in the long term, two or three months, we can continue, make strategy with the Iran team, improve the players and play friendly matches with local teams and the best players. This can improve kabaddi in every corner of the world,' he said.

With the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya approaching, both teams will be looking to translate the lessons from Sonepat into podium performances on the continental stage.