The Iran Women’s kabaddi team has travelled to India for an important training camp as the country prepares for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Regional military conflict and unrest earlier this year disrupted Iran’s domestic preparation plans, forcing the team to look for high-level training opportunities outside the country.
Iran chose India as its training destination because of the country’s strong kabaddi system and regular access to quality opposition. The team arrived at the Sports Authority of India Northern Centre in Sonipat, Haryana, on August 13. The camp has given the players an opportunity to regain match fitness and prepare for the demanding competition ahead.
War Disrupts Iran’s Asian Games Preparation
Iran kabaddi Asian Games 2026 preparations suffered a major setback after military conflict and rising tensions in the region forced the national training camp to stop. The players reportedly lost between 40 days and nearly three months of planned preparation.
That lost time was particularly difficult because Iran does not have the same depth of regular domestic competition available in India. The country’s kabaddi base is estimated at around 3,000 to 4,000 players, but the lack of a large multi-tier league system means international players cannot easily replace lost training time through competitive matches.
As a result, the coaching staff decided that an overseas camp was necessary to rebuild the team’s preparation.
Iran Women Training in India
Iran Women training in India camp has focused heavily on match practice and tactical development. Under veteran coach Gholamreza Mazandarani, Iran played eight to nine practice matches over six days against India’s senior women’s team, SAI academy campers and state-level players from Gandhinagar, Dharamshala and Sonipat.
The matches have provided Iran with valuable experience against different styles of play. They have also allowed the coaching staff to assess players who have limited international experience.
Mazandarani has revealed that more than 80 percent of the current squad has changed since the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. This makes the Sonipat camp even more important as young players are being introduced to high-pressure situations.
One of the players being tested is 20-year-old raider Sani. The camp gives her and other young players the chance to understand the speed and physical demands of international kabaddi.
Learning From Indian Players
The training camp has also become an important tactical exchange between the two teams. Indian coaches and players have highlighted Iran’s upper body strength, coordinated chain tackles and distinctive bonus line technique.
At the same time, the Iranian team is working on ways to deal with India’s quick footwork, fast corner combinations and ability to escape from tackles. Regular matches against strong Indian opposition can help Iran identify weaknesses before the Asian Games begin.
Iran’s Asian Games Record
Iran has been one of India’s biggest rivals in women’s kabaddi at the Asian Games. Iran won bronze in Guangzhou in 2010 and silver in Incheon in 2014 before making history with gold in Jakarta in 2018, ending India’s long dominance.
At Hangzhou in 2023, Iran won another bronze medal while India reclaimed the gold medal. With another Asian Games approaching, Iran will hope its training camp in India can help close the gap once again.
For Mazandarani and his players, regular high-level matches against Indian opposition could be the key to rebuilding their form and remaining serious gold medal contenders in 2026.
