Ahmedabad wins the hosting rights for 2030 Commonwealth Games
The Games returns to India after 20 years since 2010
The Games strengthen India's 2036 Olympic bid, centred around Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave
Ahmedabad has been formally awarded the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, following approval from Commonwealth Sport’s general assembly on Wednesday, November 26. The decision ensures the multi-sport event returns to India for the first time since the Delhi 2010 Games.
The endorsement from all 74 members was largely procedural, coming a month after the Commonwealth Sport Executive Board recommended Ahmedabad as the preferred host for the centenary edition. The evaluation and selection process was overseen by the organisation’s Evaluation Committee.
Dr Donald Rukare, President of Commonwealth Sport, welcomed the decision, noting that India “brings scale, youth, ambition, rich culture, enormous sporting passion and relevance” to the Games, adding that the centenary milestone begins “in good health.”
The award is also a significant boost to India’s ambition of bidding for the 2036 Olympic Games – a push in which Ahmedabad is the focal city. Over the past decade, the city has accelerated sports-infrastructure development, positioning itself as India’s most advanced multi-sport hub.
India’s only rival for the 2030 edition was Abuja, Nigeria, though Commonwealth Sport has instead opted to consider the African nation for the 2034 Games.
India Targets Commonwealth Games Legacy
The Commonwealth Games have faced mounting challenges in recent years, including escalating costs and difficulty finding willing hosts. For context, India’s expenditure for the 2010 Games soared to nearly INR 70,000 crore, far exceeding the initial projection of INR 1,600 crore.
PT Usha, President of the Commonwealth Games Association of India and of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), said the 2030 Games present an opportunity to strengthen the movement’s future.
“We are deeply honoured by the trust shown by Commonwealth Sport,” she said. “The 2030 Games will not only celebrate 100 years of the Commonwealth Movement but also lay the foundation for the next century.”
“It will bring together athletes, communities and cultures from across the Commonwealth in a spirit of friendship and progress,” she added.
2030 Games To Feature 15-17 Sports
Commonwealth Sport confirmed that the 2030 edition will include 15 to 17 disciplines. The confirmed sports are:
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
Boxing
The remaining slots will be finalised next year, with the following sports under review: 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. Hosts may also propose up to two additional disciplines.
The expanded programme reflects the Indian Olympic Association’s preference for a broad, athlete-rich Games. This contrasts sharply with the streamlined Glasgow 2026 edition, which will feature only 10 sports due to budget constraints.
Ahmedabad’s Rise As Multi-Sport Hub
Ahmedabad has hosted several major events in recent months, including the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, the Asian Aquatics Championships and the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
The city is also set to stage the Asian Weightlifting Championship and the Asia Para-Archery Cup next year, and the World Police and Fire Games in 2029 across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Ekta Nagar.
Central to the 2030 project is the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, now under construction. Alongside the 100,000-plus-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium, the enclave will include an aquatics centre, football stadium, multiple indoor arenas and a 3,000-capacity athletes’ village.
The first Commonwealth Games – then the British Empire Games – took place in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930. Now, the centenary edition in Ahmedabad is set to be one of the most ambitious in the event’s history.
(With PTI Inputs)
