Ahmedabad was formally awarded hosting rights of the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Wednesday, paving the way for the multi-sport event's return to India after two decades and giving impetus to the country's audacious plan of becoming an Olympic host in 2036.
Commonwealth Sport's general assembly of 74 members put a seal of approval on India's bid after Ahmedabad was recommended as the proposed host of the centenary edition its Executive Board last month. India last hosted the CWG in 2010 in Delhi.
The Executive Board's recommendation followed a process of bid examination overseen by the Commonwealth Sport's Evaluation Committee. "India brings scale, youth, ambition, rich culture, enormous sporting passion and relevance...We start our next century for the Commonwealth Games in good health," said Dr Donald Rukare, President of Commonwealth Sport.
The decision also bolstered India's ambition to be an Olympic host in 2036, which is also proposed to be held in the Gujarat capital. Ahmedabad has upgraded its sports infrastructure on a war footing in the last one decade to present itself as a sporting hub.
"We are building world-class sports infrastructure, including Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and the Gujarat Police Academy. It's a city where heritage meets ambition, faith meets modernity, and history meets hope," Gujarat's Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi, who also holds the sports portfolio, said in a press conference after the general assembly.
"Ahmedabad is a compact, well-connected city with modern transport, accommodation and strong support systems," he added.
India was facing competition from the Nigerian city of Abuja for the 2030 bid. But Commonwealth Sport decided to instead consider the African nation for the 2034 edition.
For the 2010 Delhi Games, India had spent close to Rs 70,000 crore to host the 2010 edition of the Games, far exceeding the initial estimate of Rs 1600 crore and also faced heavy criticism for corruption in the build-up to the event. The quadrennial showpiece has been struggling to stay relevant and find willing hosts for a while.
"We are deeply honoured by the trust shown by Commonwealth Sport. The 2030 Games will not only celebrate a 100 years of the Commonwealth Movement but also lay the foundation for the next century," PT Usha, President of the Commonwealth Games Association of India and the IOA, said.
"It will bring together Athletes, communities, and cultures from across the Commonwealth in a spirit of friendship and progress," she added.
In Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya hailed the Ganes' return to India. "Congratulations to the people of India and the sporting ecosystem. It is our collective commitment and spirit of sportsmanship that has placed India firmly on the global sporting map," Modi said in a post on X.
Mandaviya also hailed the "prestigious moment". "India is capable of hosting major events and will be among the top-10 sporting nations by 2036 and top-five in the world by 2047 when the country celebrates 100 years of independence," he said.
2030 Games to feature 15-17 disciplines
Commonwealth Sport also confirmed that 15 to 17 sports will feature at the 2030 Games. "The Amdavad 2030 team will work closely with Commonwealth Sport and the International Federation community to shape a dynamic and exciting sport programme with strong local resonance and global appeal," the body stated.
Athletics and Para Athletics, Swimming and Para Swimming, Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis, Bowls and Para Bowls, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Artistic Gymnastics, Netball and Boxing are the confirmed disciplines.
"The process to finalise the remainder of the programme will start next month, and the full Centenary Games line-up will be announced next year.
"The sports under consideration are: Archery, Badminton, 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cricket T20, Cycling, Diving, Hockey, Judo, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rugby Sevens, Shooting, Squash, Triathlon and Para Triathlon and Wrestling.
"The host can also propose up to two new or traditional sports," it added.
The expanded programme stays true to the Indian Olympic Association's commitment to have an elaborate Games. The 2026 edition in Glasgow will be a scaled down event with just 10 disciplines on its roster, leaving out sports like shooting, archery, hockey and badminton among others due to cost considerations.
In recent months, Ahmedabad hosted the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, the Asian Aquatics Championships and football's AFC Under-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers. Next year, it would be hosting the Asian Weightlifting Championship, and Asia Para-Archery Cup.
In 2029, the World Police and Fire Games will be held in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Ekta Nagar.
The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave is one of the prime venues that is currently under development and apart from the Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium, which has a capacity of over one lakh, it is designed to house an aquatics centre and a football stadium along with two arenas for indoor sports.
An athletes village that can house 3,000 is also set to be built inside this complex. The Gujarat government is hoping to complete the venues by 2028.
The first Commonwealth Games, then called the British Empire Games, was held in Hamilton, Canada in 1930.
