The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has formally approved the nation’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, marking a significant step in bringing the prestigious multi-sport event back to India after two decades.
The decision was unanimously taken at the IOA’s Special General Meeting (SGM) in New Delhi on Wednesday. Having already submitted an Expression of Interest, India now has until August 31 to file the final bid proposal with Commonwealth Sport.
Speaking after the meeting, IOA President PT Usha said, “I am happy that all are together and it was a unanimous decision. We can’t just tell whether Ahmedabad is the host city. We have good facilities in Bhubaneswar and even in Delhi also.”
While Nigeria, Canada and two other nations had also expressed interest in hosting CWG 2030, Canada withdrew from the race in June this year. Recently, a Commonwealth Sport delegation led by Director of Games Darren Hall visited Ahmedabad to inspect proposed venues and meet Gujarat government representatives. A larger delegation is expected later this month.
The final decision on the host nation will be taken at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow in the last week of November.
India last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2010 in New Delhi, a landmark edition where the country achieved its best-ever medal haul — 101 medals, including 38 golds — finishing second in the overall tally. The next best performance was at Manchester 2002, with 69 medals.
The 2030 edition will be the 24th Commonwealth Games, with the previous edition held in Birmingham, UK (2022) and the upcoming one scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland (2026). The Glasgow edition will be a scaled-down event, with sports like hockey, badminton, wrestling and shooting excluded from the programme.
However, IOA officials have confirmed that should India win the bid, they will aim to stage a full-fledged Games, potentially including indigenous sports like kho kho and kabaddi.
