Ahmedabad, the frontrunner to host the Olympics 2036, was recommended to host the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games on Wednesday. It is a massive boost for the city undergoing massive revamp to develop its sporting infrastructure.
This development comes after Gujarat’s largest city hosted the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship and the Asian Swimming Championship at the newly inaugurated Naranpura Sports Complex.
The Naranpura Sports Complex is likely to be one of the main venues for the 2030 CWG. It underwent a major development. INR 825 crore was spent on its reconstruction, before it was inaugurated on September 14, 2025. The sports complex houses Olympic-standard facilities, eco-friendly infrastructure, and a large solar power plant. The new facilities will help Ahmedabad in turning into India’s sporting capital.
Alongside the Naranpura Sports Complex, the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Enclave, which houses the Narendra Modi Stadium, has also been proposed as the venue for the CWG. The 2030 CWG is likely to be held in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. While the proposed plan for 2036 Olympics says the marquee event will be hosted in multiple locations.
Taking note of Ahmedabad’s development, the Commonwealth Sport said “the recommendation of Amdavad follows a detailed process overseen by the Commonwealth Sport Evaluation Committee, which assessed candidate cities against a wide range of criteria including technical delivery, athlete experience, infrastructure, governance, and alignment with Commonwealth Sport values”.
“India, the most populous nation in the Commonwealth, has a proud sporting history and a strong record of Commonwealth Games success, finishing fourth on the medal table at Birmingham 2022,” the governing body said. “Amdavad’s proposal emphasises India’s commitment to the values of the Commonwealth and its capacity to stage a Games that reflects the scale and diversity of modern sport.”
Ahmedabad was recommended as the ”proposed host” by the Commonwealth Sport executive board following its meeting, which took place on Wednesday. “Amdavad will now be put forward to the full Commonwealth Sport membership” for formal approval during its general assembly at Glasgow in Scotland on November 26, the governing body said in a statement.
PT Usha, Amit Shah Highlight India’s Sporting Goals
Following the announcement, PT Usha, president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), and Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted how India’s resourcefulness has made it a much-loved destination for hosting sporting events.
“Games would not only showcase India’s world-class sporting and event capabilities, but also play a meaningful role in our national journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047,” PT Usha said in a statement.
“We see the 2030 Games as a powerful opportunity to inspire our youth, strengthen international partnerships and contribute to a shared future across the Commonwealth,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shah on X, said, “Raising world-class infrastructure and raising a nationwide pool of sports talent, (PM Narendra) Modi ji has made India a marvel of a sports destination”.
India Can Be ‘Reliable Destination’ To Host Marquee Events
The Commonwealth Games have been troubled with their host location in the recent past. In 2022, the CWG was originally set to be hosted by Durban in South Africa; but some financial shortcomings saw them pull out of the tournament. Later, Birmingham was announced as the late replacement for the event.
Similarly, Victoria in Australia was set to host the 2026 CWG, but withdrew, allowing Glasgow to take over the reins. It is set to be one of the most scaled-down CWG editions due to cost-saving measures, with only 10 sports in its programme.
Meanwhile, with India set to host the 2030 CWG, it is clear that the hosts will show the sporting world that they can be a “reliable destination” in a transparent manner.
“We believe the host for the 2036 Olympics will be declared before the 2030 CWG begins. But by building world-class facilities in a timely and transparent manner, we can show the world that we are different, ambitious, and more mature now than, say, 15 years ago,” the IOA official said. “We have learnt our lessons from the past.”
Notably, Ahmedabad’s competitor for the 2036 Olympics, Doha, will host the Asian Games in 2030. In its bid to host the 2036 Olympics, the 2030 CWG was targeted as an event to gain hosting experience, along with events like the 2028 World U20 Athletics Championships, among others.
India To Target Bettering 2010 CWG Record
India was first proposed as the host to the 2030 CWG on the sidelines of the National Games opening ceremony in January. Since then, a Commonwealth Sport delegation has made multiple visits to inspect the venue and determine if the preparations are at place.
When India hosted the CWG last time, in 2010, it recorded the most successful campaign in New Delhi. In that edition, India clinched a total of 101 medals, including 38 golds, to finish second on the medals tally.
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