NEW DELHI: The 2030 Commonwealth Games are to be held in India. The Executive Board (EB) of Commonwealth Sport – the Games’ global governing body – confirmed on Wednesday that it has recommended Ahmedabad (Amdavad), the capital of Gujarat, to host the centenary edition of the CWG in five years’ time. The announcement comes ahead of the formal declaration of the host city scheduled for November 26 during the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow.The 2030 Games will be the second time India will host a multi-sport event after the 2010 Games in New Delhi. The decision came after a two-way battle between Ahmedabad and Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. The African nation missed out on hosting the Games for the second time. Nigeria also submitted a bid in 2014.Additionally, India is vying to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) expected to decide on the host city in 2027. In November 2024, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) submitted a “Letter of Intent” to the IOC, expressing the country’s ambitions to host the Summer Games. Currently, India is engaged in a “continuous dialogue process” with the IOC.“The Games would not only showcase India’s world-class sporting and eventing capabilities, but also play a significant role in our national journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047. We see the 2030 Games as a powerful opportunity to inspire our youth, strengthen international partnerships and contribute to a common future across the Commonwealth,” said IOA President PT Usha.In a statement, Commonwealth Sport said, “Amdavad’s recommendation follows a detailed process overseen by the Commonwealth Sports Evaluation Committee, which assessed candidate cities against a wide range of criteria, including technical execution, athlete experience, infrastructure, governance and alignment with Commonwealth Sport values. Amdavad’s proposal highlights India’s commitment to the values and the capacity to host the Commonwealth Games. the diversity of modern sport.”The CWG experienced uncertainty regarding its hosting, with very few Commonwealth countries willing to host due to budget constraints and the perceived declining value of the Games. The 2022 edition was originally awarded to Durban, but after South Africa’s third most populous city pulled out, Birmingham hosted the games.Similarly, a planned 2026 edition in Victoria, Australia was canceled after hosting costs escalated from AUS$2.6 billion to AUS$7 billion. Subsequently, Glasgow (Scotland) proposed and secured the hosting rights for the following year.Union Home Minister Amit Shah reacted to the development as a day of immense pride for India. “I heartily congratulate every citizen of India on the approval of India’s bid to host CWG 2030 in Ahmedabad by the Commonwealth Association. It is a big endorsement of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji’s tireless efforts to put India on the world sports map. Increasing world class infrastructure and raising the national sports destination Shavel South has made Modi the South sports destination ‘X’.Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also expressed his happiness over the news. “Big moment for Indian sports. Grateful to the Commonwealth Sport Executive Council for recommending Ahmedabad as the proposed host city for the Centenary CWG in 2030, a proud milestone for our nation. This decision reflects India’s growing dominance in global sports,” he wrote on ‘X’, thanking the PM’s visionary leadership.
