Glasgow, 26 Nov

Ahmedabad was formally awarded the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games at the Commonwealth Sport general assembly here on Wednesday, confirming the multi-sport event’s return to India after two decades. Delhi last hosted the Games in 2010.

The approval by the 74-member general assembly was largely procedural, following last month’s recommendation by the Commonwealth Sport Executive Board to name Ahmedabad the host of the centenary edition. The recommendation had come after an evaluation process overseen by the body’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 strengthens India’s long-term ambition to bid for the 2036 Olympic Games. Ahmedabad, which is also in the race for that bid, has significantly expanded its sporting infrastructure over the past decade.

India had faced competition from Abuja, Nigeria, for the 2030 Games. However, Commonwealth Sport said Abuja will instead be considered for the 2034 edition.

PT Usha, President of the Commonwealth Games Association of India and the Indian Olympic Association, said the country was “deeply honoured” by the trust placed in it.

“The 2030 Games will not only celebrate 100 years of the Commonwealth Movement but also lay the foundation for the next century,” she said, adding that the event would bring together athletes, communities and cultures from across the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth Sport also confirmed that 15 to 17 sports would feature at the 2030 Games.

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 have been confirmed.

The remaining disciplines will be finalised next year, with several sports under consideration, including archery, badminton, cricket T20, cycling, diving, hockey, judo, rugby sevens, shooting, squash, triathlon, para triathlon and wrestling. Hosts may also propose up to two new or traditional sports.

The expanded programme aligns with India’s push for a wider Games roster, in contrast to the scaled-down 2026 edition in Glasgow, which will feature only 10 sports due to cost constraints.

Ahmedabad has recently hosted major international events, including the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships, the Asian Aquatics Championships and the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers. Next year, it will host the Asian Weightlifting Championships and the Asia Para-Archery Cup. The World Police and Fire Games will take place across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar and Ekta Nagar in 2029.

The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave will be the main Games hub. Alongside the Narendra Modi Stadium, the complex will house an aquatics centre, a football stadium, two indoor arenas and an athletes’ village with a capacity of 3,000.

The awarding of the 2030 Games marks a major milestone for Indian sport, promising a landmark edition of the centenary Commonwealth Games and a significant step towards hosting future global sporting events.