In a new first, international players will be seen in Ultimate Kho Kho

The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) has announced that the third season of Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK) will begin on November 29, 2025.

For the first time, international players will be allowed to take part in the tournament through the players’ auction. This announcement was made by KKFI President Shri Sudhanshu Mittal during a press conference held at SGT University in Gurugram.

A big step

Shri Mittal said that including foreign players is a big step towards making India the global centre for Kho Kho. He said this move will improve the competition in the league and help take the sport to a wider audience across the world.

The event also saw the presence of Shri Gaurav Gautam, Minister of State for Youth Empowerment and Sports, Government of Haryana. He praised the efforts of KKFI in promoting Kho Kho and said Haryana will continue to support such sports initiatives. Shri Jawahar Singh Yadav, President of the Haryana Kho Kho Federation, promised better facilities and job opportunities for Kho Kho players in the state.

On this occasion, KKFI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SGT University to jointly develop educational and scientific resources to support indigenous sports, including Kho Kho.

Third-most watched non-cricket sports league

Since its launch in 2022, Ultimate Kho Kho has grown quickly in popularity.

It is now the third-most watched non-cricket sports league in India after Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Super League. The first season had 64 million viewers, including 41 million from India.

Odisha Juggernauts won the first season, while Gujarat Giants became champions in the 2023–24 season.

The press conference also highlighted the ongoing Advanced Level III A Training Programme for Coaches and Technical Officials at SGT University. This two-week training is being attended by over 230 participants, including more than 20 international coaches and officials from countries like Sri Lanka, Iran, Australia, Korea, England, Malaysia, and Nepal.

It is the first hybrid training programme where some participants, including those from Brazil and Peru, are attending online.

The training is being held in two parts. Coaches were trained from June 2 to 11, and now from June 12 to 15, technical officials are undergoing training.

Over 100 Indian officials from 30 states and union territories, along with 15 international officials, are taking part in this programme.