Hyderabad: In a week’s time, Hyderabad will play host to a World Cup. The world’s best in Sepak Takraw — a sort of foot-volleyball in which players are allowed to use only their feet, knee, chest and head to touch the ball, no hands — will match their wits against each other at the GMC Balayogi Stadium in Gachibowli. The November 2 to 5 event has drawn 16 men and 12 women teams from Brazil, Brunei, Bangladesh, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam besides hosts India.
Matches will be played on a league-cum-knockout basis from 8 am to 8 pm daily and entry to the stadium is free to enable spectators to witness the spectacular sport. The Telangana Sepak Takraw Association is hosting the event under the aegis of Sepak Takraw Federation of India, Sports Authority of Telangana State as well as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
