Key points
- The Commonwealth Sport membership has formally awarded the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games to Ahmedabad, India, at its General Assembly in Glasgow.
- India edged past Abuja, Nigeria, after both cities submitted detailed bids, Nigeria is now being encouraged to bid again, possibly for the 2034 Games.
- The 2030 event will be the 24th edition of the Commonwealth Games, exactly 100 years after the inaugural 1930 Games in Hamilton, Canada.
- This will be India second time as host after New Delhi 2010, that edition involved spending of around ₹70,000 crore and remains one of the country biggest multi sport events.
- Core venues in Ahmedabad will include the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave and the Narendra Modi Stadium, where an athletes’ village for about 3,000 athletes is planned.
- The next Commonwealth Games will take place in Glasgow in 2026, the baton will then pass to Ahmedabad for the landmark centenary Games in 2030.
At the Glasgow General Assembly, member nations endorsed the Executive Board’s recommendation that “Amdavad” (Ahmedabad) host the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games, completing a multi-stage evaluation that began with detailed technical and financial assessments of both Ahmedabad and Abuja. The decision means India will stage the Games again after a 20-year gap, with officials calling it a “huge moment for Indian sports” and a reflection of the country’s growing capability to run global-scale events.
Commonwealth Sport leaders said the 2030 edition, coming exactly a century after Hamilton 1930, is strategically important for the future of the movement, Ahmedabad bid was praised for aligning modern infrastructure and athlete centric planning with the wider values of the Commonwealth. PT Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association and of the Commonwealth Games Association India, said hosting the centenary Games would showcase India world class event capabilities and support the national vision of “Viksit Bharat 2047”.
Boost to India mega event ambitions
Winning the 2030 Games strengthens India case as a serious contender for future global multi sport events, by proving that it can plan, finance and deliver a modern, sustainability focused Games in one of its fastest growing urban regions. Officials and sports administrators argue that successful delivery in Ahmedabad would send a strong signal to international federations about India readiness for even larger events in the 2030s, including potential Olympic ambitions, even though no final Olympic hosting decision has yet been taken.
The contrast with New Delhi 2010 is also significant, that Games were criticised for cost overruns and governance issues, whereas the 2030 blueprint emphasises tighter project management, legacy use of venues and integration with long term city planning in Ahmedabad. By situating the Games inside a purpose built sports enclave, planners aim to avoid scattered, ad hoc construction and instead leave behind a coherent high performance sports district.
Games format, venues and participation
The 2030 event will be the XXIV Commonwealth Games, with athletes expected from 72 Commonwealth nations and territories, similar to recent editions in Birmingham 2022 and the upcoming Glasgow 2026 Games. While the final sports programme will be confirmed closer to the event, officials have indicated that core disciplines such as athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, hockey and weightlifting are expected to feature, with scope for host chosen sports as well.
Ahmedabad plan centres on the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, an integrated complex that will host multiple indoor and outdoor events, provide training facilities and house the athletes’ village for around 3,000 competitors and support staff. The Narendra Modi Stadium, already one of the world largest cricket grounds, is slated for major roles in ceremonies and multi-sport use, with the wider enclave designed to support football, aquatics and other disciplines through modular setups.
Ahmedabad is growing as a sports hub
Even before the Commonwealth Games decision, Ahmedabad had been positioning itself as a sports hub, with the Narendra Modi Stadium hosting ICC events and the city investing heavily in roads, metro links and hospitality near the sports enclave. The Commonwealth Sport Evaluation Committee noted the city’s existing and planned infrastructure, its connectivity to other Indian metros and its capacity to deliver an “athlete first” Games experience, as key strengths of the winning bid.
Local planners say that beyond the 2030 Games themselves, the new venues and transport upgrades are intended to support regular domestic and international competitions, training camps and community sport, embedding long-term sporting culture rather than one-off infrastructure. For now, the formal vote in Glasgow has turned years of planning into reality, with Ahmedabad set to become only the third Asian host of the Commonwealth Games after Kuala Lumpur 1998 and New Delhi 2010.
