The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has officially approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The decision was made during a Special General Meeting (SGM) held in New Delhi on Wednesday. Ahmedabad has been proposed as the host city. India has already submitted an Expression of Interest and now must send the final bid before August 31.
India’s chances of winning the bid have increased after Canada withdrew from the race. Recently, a team from Commonwealth Sport, led by Director of Games Darren Hall, visited Ahmedabad. They inspected the sports venues and met Gujarat government officials. A bigger delegation will visit later this month.
Ahmedabad Likely to Host Commonwealth Games 2030 in India
The final decision on the host country will be taken in November. The Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow will choose the winner in the last week of that month. India last hosted the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010.
After the SGM, IOA joint secretary Kalyan Chaubey said, “The approval was given unanimously. We will now move ahead full steam with our preparations.”
Executive Council member Rohit Rajpal added, “The 2030 CWG will be a full-fledged Games. We will have all the sports we are good at and can win medals in.”
Rajpal explained that the Commonwealth Games has three groups of sports: core sports, optional sports chosen by the host, and additional sports. “The 2030 Games will be inclusive and will also feature our traditional and indigenous sports,” he said.
Chaubey added, “We plan to have all our medal-winning sports like shooting, archery, and wrestling. Traditional sports like kabaddi and kho kho should also be part of the Games.”
ALSO READ Khalid Jamil Appointed as India’s New Football Head Coach with Big Challenges Ahead
The announcement is important because the 2026 Glasgow edition has dropped several major sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling, and shooting due to cost issues.
If India wins the bid, the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad could be one of the most inclusive editions, with a mix of Olympic sports and Indian traditional games. The country will now focus on preparing a strong proposal to present in Glasgow later this year.
