What do the lines on a kabaddi court mean?
Officials' detail · The game · 1 of 1A kabaddi court is a rectangle split into two halves by the mid line, one half for each team. Each half has a baulk line and a bonus line running across it, and a one-metre lobby down each long side. The men's court is 13 metres by 10, the women's is 12 by 8.
How it works
- Surface: a synthetic mat 25 to 40 mm thick, or soft soil.
- Men and junior boys: 13 m by 10 m.
- Women and junior girls: 12 m by 8 m.
- Sub-junior boys and girls: 11 m by 8 m.
- Mid line: divides the court into two halves.
- Baulk line: 3.75 m from the mid line for men and junior boys, 3 m for everyone else.
- Bonus line: 1 m beyond the baulk line, towards the end line.
- Lobbies: a strip 1 m wide along each long side. The widths above include them.
- Lines: 3 to 5 cm wide and part of the field of play.
- Sitting block: at least 2 m behind each end line, for players who are out and for substitutes.
The glossary has the court, the mid line, the baulk line, the bonus line, the lobby and the sitting block.
Tricky cases
Is the lobby part of the court?
It depends. It is outside the playing area until a touch or a struggle starts. From then on it is part of the field of play for that raid.
Is the line in or out?
In. The rule book says all lines "will be the part of the FOP", the field of play.
Is the women's court the same size as the men's?
No. It is 12 m by 8 m, against 13 m by 10 m. The baulk line is 3 m from the mid line, not 3.75 m.
Can kabaddi be played on soil?
Yes. The rules allow a synthetic mat "or on soft soil surface". Shoes are compulsory only on the synthetic surface.
Why the rule exists
The lines turn a game of tag into a contest of risk. The baulk line forces the raider to come far enough in to be caught and the bonus line pays for going deeper. The lobbies give room to fight once contact is made without widening the court before it.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Men and junior boys | 13 m by 10 m; baulk line at 3.75 m; each half 6.5 m deep | IKF Rule 3; 4f; measurement chart |
| Women and junior girls | 12 m by 8 m; baulk line at 3 m; each half 6 m deep | IKF Rule 3; 4f; measurement chart |
| Sub-juniors | 11 m by 8 m; baulk line at 3 m; each half 5.5 m deep | IKF Rule 3; 4f; measurement chart |
| Indoor, beach and circle style kabaddi | Different fields. Beach kabaddi has no baulk line, bonus line or lobby | Same book, later chapters (opening pages only read) |
From the rule book
Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India, Rules and Regulations of All Forms of Kabaddi (version 2.1.0, the International Kabaddi Federation rules, 2017), Rules 1 to 4, the field measurement chart and the court diagram. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: Rules and Regulations of All Forms of Kabaddi (PDF, a scan).