Ultimate Kho Kho Welcomes International Players for Season 3 Auction
Exciting Developments in Kho Kho
Gurugram (Haryana) [India], June 13: In a significant advancement for the global reach of Kho Kho, the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) has announced that international athletes will be eligible to participate in the player auction for the upcoming third season of Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK).
This announcement was made by KKFI President Sudhanshu Mittal during a press briefing at Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tercentenary (SGT) University on Friday. He revealed that the third season of Ultimate Kho Kho is set to kick off on November 29, 2025, marking a pivotal moment for India's professional Kho Kho league, as stated in a KKFI press release.
The press conference was attended by Gaurav Gautam, Minister of State for Youth Empowerment & Entrepreneurship (IC), Sports (IC), Law and Legislative (Attached), Government of Haryana, who commended KKFI's efforts in promoting Kho Kho on a global scale and enhancing sports development in Haryana.
Other notable attendees included Prof. Hemant Verma, Vice Chancellor of SGT University, Amrit Singh Chawla, a member of the Governing Body of SGT University, and Jawahar Singh Yadav, President of the Haryana Kho Kho Federation. They pledged to promote Kho Kho extensively in Haryana, ensuring that players receive better facilities and job opportunities. This announcement coincided with the Advanced Level III A Training Programme for Coaches and Technical Officials currently taking place at the SGT University campus.
Moreover, the Kho Kho Federation of India and SGT University have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance their commitment to developing educational and scientific resources for indigenous sports, including Kho Kho.
During the press conference, Sudhanshu Mittal remarked, “Kho Kho has emerged as a representation of India’s sporting innovation and aspirations. With the commencement of Ultimate Kho Kho Season 3 on November 29, 2025, we are excited to take a bold step by allowing international players into the league for the first time. This initiative not only enhances the league's competitive quality but also aligns with our vision of establishing India as the global hub for Kho Kho.”
The forthcoming season of UKK is anticipated to bring a substantial transformation to the league's dynamics, as the inclusion of international players is expected to elevate its competitive stature and worldwide recognition.
The press conference also highlighted the ongoing Advanced Level III A training programme, a two-week intensive initiative organized by KKFI and IKKF aimed at bolstering the technical and scientific foundation of the sport. This programme has attracted over 230 participants, including more than 20 international coaches and technical officials from countries such as Sri Lanka, Iran, Australia, Korea, England, Malaysia, Nepal, and others. Notably, federations have the option to participate in the courses online, marking this as the first hybrid-format training programme, with countries like Brazil and Peru joining in.
The current training programme at SGT University is divided into two parts: coaching training from June 2-11, and technical officials training from June 12-15. The technical officials' course has seen participation from over 100 Indian officials across 30 states and UTs, along with 15 international officials, including representatives from Australia, Nepal, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and more.