Glasgow: Ahmedabad – or, Amdavad, as some call it – has been formally confirmed as the host of the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030. The world’s most populous nation will stage the landmark edition after delegates of the 74 Commonwealth member nations and territories ratified India’s bid at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly here on Wednesday.
Commonwealth Sport President Dr Donald Rukare said it is the start of a new golden era for Commonwealth Sport. “After a ‘Games reset’, we head to Glasgow 2026 in fantastic shape to welcome the 74 teams of the Commonwealth before setting our sights on Amdavad 2030 for a special Centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games,” he said.
“India brings scale, youth, ambition, rich culture, enormous sporting passion and relevance, and I’m delighted to report strong interest from a range of nations to host the 2034 Games and beyond. We start our next century for the Commonwealth Games in good health,” Dr. Rukare said in a media release.
Commonwealth Games Association of India President Dr. PT Usha said India is honoured by Commonwealth Sport’s trust. “The 2030 Games will celebrate a hundred years of Commonwealth sport and lay the foundation for the next century. It will bring together athletes, communities, and cultures from across the Commonwealth in a spirit of friendship and progress,” she said.
In New Delhi, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya described the day as historic. India’s sports sector is transforming and reforming under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, he said. “India will be in the world’s top 10 (sporting nations) in 10 years and in the top 5 by 2047. I urge all athletes to get ready and make the nation proud,” he said.
Commonwealth Sport also confirmed that 15-17 sports will feature in Amdavad 2030. It recently concluded a Sport Programme Review which outlines 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 as the discipline which will feature in the Games.
The other disciplines under consideration are Archery, Badminton, 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cricket T20, Cycling, Diving, Hockey, Judo, Rhythmic Gymnastics, Rugby Sevens, Shooting, Squash, Triathlon and Para Triathlon and Wrestling.
The host can also propose up to two new or traditional sports. The process to finalise the remainder of the programme will start next month, and the full Centenary Games line-up will be announced next year. Amdavad 2030 will have a a dynamic and exciting sport programme with strong local resonance and global appeal.
The announcement of the host of the Centenary Games was a formality after the Commonwealth Sport Executive Board confirmed on October 15 that it would formally recommend Ahmedabad to members as the proposed host city for the 2030 Games. The recommendation followed a detailed process overseen by the Commonwealth Sport Evaluation Committee.
