New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS): The Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) on Wednesday announced the onboarding of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan as the brand ambassador for the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup, set to take place in New Delhi between January 13 to 19, 2025.
"We are sure there will be no visa issues and Pakistan will come and play the first match of the Kho Kho World Cup against India on January 13," the organisers said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the KKFI announced the onboarding of Indian superstar Salman Khan as the brand ambassador to promote the inaugural edition of the tournament, set to take place in New Delhi between January 13 to 19.
Salman, expressed his excitement for the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup, recalling his history with the sport. The megastar praised the initiative to host the World Cup in the nation's capital and said he is thrilled to see the sport spreading across the world.
"I am proud to be associated with the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup 2025! This is not just a tournament - it's a tribute to India's soil, spirit, and strength. All of us, including me, have played Kho Kho at one point in our lives," Salman Khan said in a message. "It is a sport with non-stop action and relentless spirit that has already captured global attention. Let's come together and celebrate the soul of Kho Kho on the global stage," he further added.
The Kho Kho World Cup will see 21 men's and 20 women's teams competing in the week-long tournament, seeing participation of 24 nations travelling to India for the tournament.
A demo match for both men's and women's teams, featuring star players like Pratik Waiker, Aditya Ganpule, Ramji Kashyap, Dilip Khandvi, Suyash Gargate, Gautam M.K., Sachin Bhargava, Vishal, Arun Gunki, Priyanka Ingle, Magai Majhi, Muskaan, Meenu, Chetra B, Nasreen, Reshma Rathore, and Nirmala Pandey was also organised on the occasion.
KKFI President Sudhanshu Mittal expressed gratitude to Salman and said that his presence will bring more eyeballs to the World Cup.
"We express our gratitude to the superstar Salman Khan for lending time from his busy schedule to our beloved Mitti Ka Khel. His passion for the sport is truly inspiring and we are confident that he will bring interest from the entire nation towards the upcoming World Cup. We have left no stones unturned to make the inaugural edition of the Kho Kho World Cup a grand success and we cannot wait for the fans to witness what we have in store for them," he added.