India and Australia launched a Sports Collaboration Roadmap, with Australia backing India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games
Chennai will host the opening match of the 2026-27 Big Bash League, the first overseas domestic cricket league fixture to be played in India
The roadmap focuses on high-performance sport, coaching, sports science, investment, women's sport and youth exchanges to strengthen bilateral sporting ties
India and Australia on Friday unveiled a Sports Collaboration Roadmap to expand cooperation in sports training, sports science, technology and the sports industry.
The two countries also announced that Chennai will host the opening match of the upcoming Men's Big Bash League season, marking the first time a foreign domestic cricket league fixture will be played in India.
The roadmap was jointly unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). It builds on the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in Sports.
It outlines a framework for collaboration in high-performance sport, coaching, sports science, research, investment and major sporting events. The initiative also includes plans to organise an India-Australia Youth Sports Festival to encourage greater interaction between young athletes and strengthen sporting exchanges between the two countries.
Australia Backs India's 2036 Olympic Bid
The sporting partnership received a major boost after Australia formally backed India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games, with Albanese announcing Canberra's support during the event.
The endorsement comes as India prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, while Australia is set to stage the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032.
Addressing the gathering, Modi congratulated Australia for winning the Women's Cricket World Cup and said the two countries were entering an important decade in international sport.
"India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030. We are also striving to host the Olympics in India in 2036. Brisbane will host the Olympics in 2032. Sports infrastructure will be developed on a mega scale to host these global events"
Later, Albanese reaffirmed Australia's support for India's Olympic ambitions while highlighting the importance of the bilateral sporting partnership.
"Australia and India are united by our love and passion for sport. This sports roadmap will focus on practical priority areas such as capability building, technology and research to strengthen this cornerstone of our bilateral relationship,"
He added that expanding cooperation in sports would not only strengthen people-to-people ties but also create new opportunities in trade, tourism and investment between the two countries.
Chennai To Host Historic Big Bash League Match
One of the biggest announcements made during the event was that the opening fixture of the 2026-27 Men's Big Bash League season will be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai this December.
The match will feature Melbourne Renegades taking on defending champions Perth Scorchers and will become the first official fixture of an overseas domestic cricket league to be played in India.
The eight-team Big Bash League is among the world's most popular franchise T20 competitions after the Indian Premier League and is traditionally held between December and February.
Welcoming the development, Modi said India offered unmatched opportunities for global sporting competitions.
"I am happy that a Big Bash league match will be organised in India, in Chennai. Any sporting league that conducts games in India is guaranteed to reach a large base and fetch big viewership,"
The BBL announcement formed the centrepiece of the week-long 'G'Day Namaste' festival across India, which features Australian cultural, business and sporting events.
Roadmap Targets High-Performance Sport, Sports Science And Investment
The India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap identifies five priority areas for future cooperation.
In capacity building, the two countries will collaborate on establishing and operating high-performance sports centres in India, strengthening coach education programmes, supporting para-sport development and promoting physical education exchanges.
Australia will also help train Indian high-performance coaches through the Australian Sports Commission, while opportunities will be explored for talented Indian athletes to train in Australia under scholarship programmes funded by the Government of India.
The roadmap also seeks to encourage joint research between Indian and Australian universities in areas such as athlete performance analytics, injury prevention, sports nutrition, wearable technology, recovery techniques and para-sport.
It further promotes collaboration in sports curriculum development and anti-doping initiatives through international platforms led by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
With both countries preparing to host major sporting events over the next decade, the roadmap calls for greater cooperation in organising international competitions and sharing expertise in event management. It also proposes exhibition matches and youth events in sports such as kabaddi, kho kho, Australian Football and basketball.
The roadmap further encourages Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to work towards hosting annual Big Bash League matches in India following the inaugural fixture in Chennai.
Another key focus area is sports industry and investment. The roadmap aims to strengthen collaboration in sports equipment manufacturing, broadcasting, event management and sports start-ups while expanding India's exports of sports goods to Australia and promoting Australian expertise in high-performance coaching, athlete wellbeing, nutrition and sports science.
The two governments also announced plans to launch joint initiatives promoting women's leadership, participation, health and high-performance sport through bilateral tournaments and development programmes.
The event was attended by Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan, former Australia men's captain Steve Waugh and former Australia women's captain Lisa Sthalekar.
Modi and Albanese also interacted with young athletes participating in exhibition events featuring kabaddi, Australian Football and cricket, highlighting the growing sporting and people-to-people ties between India and Australia.
