2030 CWG set for Ahmedabad after crucial nod from games’ top exec panel

The proposal will be before the general assembly of the Commonwealth Sport, the event’s governing body, in Glasgow on November 26.

Ahmedabad will likely host the Commonwealth Games (CWG) in 2030, as the competition’s executive board on Wednesday recommended the Gujarat city for the centenary edition of the event.

Backed by the Union cabinet, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had launched the bid to bring CWG to the country earlier this year. (PTI)

Now, only a final greenlight during the organisation’s general assembly next month, a process expected to be a formality, remains before the CWG’s return to India is ratified.

Nigeria’s capital Abuja was the only other contender in fray.

The proposal will be before the general assembly of the Commonwealth Sport, the event’s governing body, in Glasgow on November 26.

This will not only bring CWG back to India after two decades – New Delhi hosted the 2010 edition – but may also be a significant boost in the country’s bid to host the 2036 Olympics, for which Ahmedabad has been put through a significant sporting infrastructure transformation.

Union home minister Amit Shah said it was a “day of immense joy and pride for India”.

“... It is a grand endorsement of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s relentless efforts to place India on the world sports map,” he said on X.

Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya termed it “a huge moment for Indian sports”. “Grateful to Commonwealth Sport’s Executive Board for recommending Ahmedabad as the proposed host city for the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030, a proud milestone for our nation,” he added on X.

Backed by the Union cabinet, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had launched the bid to bring CWG to the country earlier this year. Officials of the Commonwealth Sport also visited Ahmedabad a few times to inspect the infrastructure. Once India entered the race, it was always going to be the frontrunner to host an event that has, in the recent past, found few takers.

In a statement, Commonwealth Sport said Ahmedabad had been recommended after “a detailed process overseen by the Commonwealth Sport Evaluation Committee, which assessed candidate cities against a wide range of criteria including technical delivery, athlete experience, infrastructure, governance, and alignment with Commonwealth Sport values”.

Even before India’s ambitions of hosting the 2030 CWG and 2036 Olympics were made public, Ahmedabad was being ramped up with multi-sport infrastructure. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, which includes the gigantic Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium that hosted the ODI World Cup final in 2023, is being looked at as the central venue for the CWG, apart from the newly completed Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura.

“Ahmedabad will be ready to host the Commonwealth Games,” ID Nanavati, secretary of the Gujarat State Olympic Association, said. “Almost all the stadiums that are being newly built are either ready or will be soon. The state government is fully behind this project.”

The new stadiums have also hosted a few Commonwealth and Asian level events over the past few months. The Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships were held at the Veer Savarkar Complex in August, while the Asian Aquatics Championships also played out in its revamped pool in September-October. Nanavati said they are also hopeful of hosting the U-20 World Championships in wrestling next year.

“Gradually, we will try and host more such events across sports. This will also act as test events to identify the shortcomings, if any, in preparations for the CWG and Olympics bid,” Nanavati added.

Hosting the CWG, although of lesser volume compared to the Olympics, will still be a large-scale exercise. In the previous CWG in 2022 held in Birmingham, around 4,800 athletes from 72 countries flocked the city, apart from the support staff, contingent members, technical delegates and other officials.

India finished fourth on the Birmingham table with 61 medals. The 2026 edition in Glasgow will be a scaled-down version after Victoria pulled out as hosts citing budget constraints. With the Commonwealth Sport left scrambling for a host, Glasgow came in at the last hour with a curtailed programme that excluded most sports in which India traditionally did well. These include wrestling (India won 12 medals in 2022), badminton (six), table tennis (seven), hockey (two), squash (two), cricket (one).

As hosts, India could push for their inclusion again.

“The Games would not only showcase India’s world-class sporting and event capabilities, but also play a meaningful role in our national journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047,” IOA president PT Usha said.