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≡ CENTENNIAL COMMONWEALTHS ≡
As expected, the Indian city of Ahmedabad was selected as the host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow (SCO) on Wednesday.
Ahmedabad was recommended for selection over Abuja (NGR) by the Commonwealth Sport Executive Committee in October and the General Assembly agreed, giving the Commonwealth Games some security after a rough decade to find host cities:
● 2022: After Durban (RSA) was selected as the sole bidder in 2015, it withdrew over funding issues and Birmingham (ENG) stepped in as an excellent host, advancing its planned 2026 bid.
● 2026: The state of Victoria, Australia agreed to host the Games in 2022, but withdrew over costs in July 2023, paying Commonwealth Sport A$380 million (about $247.7 million U.S. in 2025) as a penalty. With a significant amount of that money promised to a replacement host, Glasgow (SCO) – the 2014 Commonwealth Games host – agreed to stage a compact Games with just 10 sports.
● 2030: Ahmedabad and Abuja both indicated interest, with a more flexible hosting model adopted by Commonwealth Sport. With Ahmedabad selected, Commonwealth Sport indicated it wanted to work with Abuja on a possible hosting in 2034.
For 2030, Ahmedabad – the accepted English name for the city, known as Amdavad in the state of Gujarat – will stage 15-17 sports:
● The core Commonwealth Sport program includes (8): 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.
● Added sports will come from 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.
Begun as the British Empire Games in 1930 in Hamilton (CAN), India hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, marred by disorganization and corruption. Now, it hopes to use the development of the 2030 Commonwealth Games centennial as a springboard to a future Olympic hosting, possibly as early as 2036 (but which is likely to be awarded prior to 2030).
India’s Sports Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, told supporters, “India is capable of hosting major events and will be among the top-10 sporting nations by 2036 and a top-five by 2047 when the country celebrates 100 years of independence.”
He also noted that India will host the 2029 World Police Games in Ahmedabad, a perfect lead-in to the Commonwealth Games.
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