India Officially Enters Race For 2038 Asian Games, IOA Confirms Expression Of Interest

India has officially entered the race to host the 2038 Asian Games, with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

The OCA discussed India’s EOI during its executive board meeting on April 21 in Sanya, China, held alongside the Asian Beach Games.

“Yes, we have submitted an EOI, and it was discussed by the OCA in its executive board meeting,” IOA CEO Raghuram Iyer said. “It’s only an Expression of Interest now. They had an initial discussion, and they will tell us what to do going ahead. There is no deadline for submission of bids.”

India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, which is also the proposed host city for India’s bid for the 2036 Olympic Games. The city could be the frontrunner again if India secures the 2038 Asian Games.

India last hosted the Asian Games in 1982 in New Delhi, which also staged the inaugural edition in 1951.

Competition For 2038 Asian Games

South Korea expressed early interest in 2021 to host the 2038 Asian Games, proposing Gwangju and Daegu as host cities. Mongolia has also indicated interest, but it is not known if a formal EOI has been submitted. Malaysia is also reported to be interested, with Kuala Lumpur pitched as the host city.

“It (the award of 2038 Asian Games) is likely to be done in two years’ time,” an unnamed OCA official told PTI.

Riyadh will host the 2030 Asian Games, while Doha will stage the 2034 edition. The 2026 Games are scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 19 to October 4.

The Asian Games remain the largest multi-sport event in the world in terms of athlete participation, featuring competitors from 45 nations. The Hangzhou 2023 edition saw over 11,000 athletes across 40 sports. The Aichi-Nagoya Games will feature 468 events across 43 sports