When Gujarat talks about staging the 2030 Commonwealth Games and then aiming for the 2036 Olympics, it is not just another political slogan. It&rsquo;s a leap into the deep end of global sport, an audacious gamble that could either put Ahmedabad firmly on the world map or saddle it with massive bills, civic headaches, and stadiums that sit empty.
The question echoes from chai shops to policy meetings: Are we ready?
From Vision to Blueprint
India has never hosted the Olympics, and has staged the Commonwealth Games only once in 2010 in New Delhi, an edition remembered both for its corruption scandals and for world-class performances. Ahmedabad has cricketing clout; the Narendra Modi Stadium is the largest in the world, but creating a full multi-sport ecosystem is a far bigger challenge.
In 2021, the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) commissioned a feasibility study of 40 major sports venues in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The results were sobering: only about half met the minimum standards for hosting international events.&nbsp;
Many venues had outdated playing surfaces, poor lighting for broadcasting, and inadequate changing rooms and medical facilities. Certain sports, such as cycling, gymnastics, and equestrian events, had no compliant venue at all.
The number of sports for 2030 will be decided as part of the bid process. For reference, Birmingham 2022 featured 20 sports, while Glasgow 2026 will have just 10. Athletics and swimming are compulsory, but other possible inclusions hockey, badminton, wrestling, archery, water sports, kabaddi, and kho kho, will dictate the range of venues and facilities required.&nbsp;
Hockey remains a concern: Ahmedabad does not yet have an international-standard turf, and in the 2022 National Games, matches had to be staged in Rajkot. Aquatics facilities such as the Sardar Patel Swimming Complex exist but require upgrades to meet CWG specifications.
Despite the gaps, officials exude confidence. &ldquo;Ahmedabad is going to host the Commonwealth Games 2030. It is just a matter of time,&rdquo; a senior Sports Authority of Gujarat (SAG) official told Benefit News Network.&nbsp;
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) formally approved the bid at a Special General Meeting in New Delhi this week. With Canada&rsquo;s withdrawal from contention, Ahmedabad is considered a frontrunner. The final proposal must be submitted by August 31, with the host city to be decided at the Commonwealth Sport General Assembly in Glasgow this November.
For the IOA, this is more than a single event. Executive Council member Rohit Rajpal has promised a &ldquo;full-fledged Games&rdquo; with all core sports, India&rsquo;s medal-rich events such as shooting, archery, and wrestling, and traditional disciplines like kabaddi and kho kho, framing it as a stepping stone toward an Olympic bid.
Building the Stage
Much of Ahmedabad&rsquo;s planning traces back to 2020, when AUDA began scouting unused government land for sports redevelopment. &ldquo;International consultants were brought in for a gap analysis of what we had, what could be upgraded, and what had to be built from scratch,&rdquo; AUDA CEO Devang Desai told Benefit News Network.&nbsp;
From those consultations emerged the blueprint for the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave, a 236-acre complex anchored by the Narendra Modi Stadium, with multiple stadiums, an aquatics centre, indoor arenas, athlete housing, and commercial spaces.
A second major hub is planned at the Karai Police Academy site, designed to double as a training base for both sports and law enforcement after the Games. &ldquo;Every venue has to have a legacy use,&rdquo; Desai emphasised, citing the Naranpura Sports Complex, which hosted international aquatics events almost immediately after completion.
Master plans for both hubs are complete, detailed designs are under peer review, and tenders are expected by November 2025. Construction is targeted for completion by March 2028. The Sardar Enclave alone carries an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore, while hosting the Olympics could require over Rs 50,000 crore, covering venue construction, accommodation, security, technology, and operations.
Earlier this year, a Commonwealth Sport delegation led by Director of Games Darren Hall visited Ahmedabad to inspect venues. Officials involved in the project said the team praised the scale and speed of preparatory work but stressed the need to meet strict technical standards across all sports and ensure venue clustering to reduce athlete travel time.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We are incorporating those suggestions into our revised technical plan,&rdquo; one official confirmed.
Challenges Off the Field
Infrastructure is only part of the equation. The Gujarat Public Accounts Committee has flagged a shortage of trained coaches, just 122 permanent coaches for 21 sports, alongside weak grassroots access. Many schools lack well-maintained sports grounds, trained PE staff, and competitive equipment.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Without increasing our coaching pool, infrastructure alone won&rsquo;t win medals. While referees can be sourced from abroad, coaches for long-term athlete preparation must be recruited and retained years in advance. Coaches are an integral part of any team. If a coach belongs to the same country he is representing in the Games, it would be beneficial. As far as I am aware, we have only filled 46 to 60% of vacancies,&rdquo; a senior coach said.&nbsp;
On increasing the manpower and staff, an official involved in the project said, &ldquo;A detailed manpower plan is now being drafted to bring in hundreds of additional staff, technical officials, logistics coordinators, volunteers, and medical teams ahead of 2030.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Land acquisition for the Sports Enclave has also sparked tensions, particularly in Manipur&ndash;Godhavi, where earmarked development land ballooned from 200 acres to almost 1,000 acres. As per a report, farmers allege inadequate compensation, pressure tactics, and a lack of transparency, leading to protests that threaten to tarnish the bid&rsquo;s image.
Transport is being planned as seriously as the venues themselves. Proposed measures include extending metro lines to connect key venues and the airport, building a third ring road to bypass inner-city congestion, expanding BRTS corridors, and deploying electric buses with solar charging depots.
Special Games lanes and real-time traffic control systems are also being considered. At full capacity, the Sardar complex will host 90,000 spectators, while the transport network aims to move up to 400,000 people a day without paralysing the city.
Lessons, Stakes, and the Bigger Picture
The 2022 National Games, hosted across Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Bhavnagar, and Delhi (for track cycling), provided valuable lessons. The state spent nearly Rs 2,000 crore on infrastructure and delivered upgraded facilities, but logistical flaws were exposed swimmers and other athletes faced commutes of up to five hours due to distant accommodation.&nbsp;
An official emphasised that the CWG bid now prioritises athlete villages located close to competition venues, in line with recommendations from the inspection team.
For Gujarat, the CWG is part of a broader push to become a global sports hub. The state is also bidding for the 2027 Women&rsquo;s Volleyball World Championship, 2028 Asian Swimming Championship, 2028 World U20 Athletics Championships, Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship, South Asian Games, World Beach Games, and World Military Games, building hosting experience ahead of a potential Olympic bid.
Former Indian badminton player B. Sumeeth Reddy believes the legacy could extend beyond infrastructure: &ldquo;Hosting such mega-events can reshape not just facilities but the aspirations of younger athletes. If done right, kids will grow up not dreaming of playing abroad; they&rsquo;ll aim to compete on home turf.&rdquo;
Right now, Ahmedabad is one of the favourites for the 2030 Games. If Gujarat wins, the CWG will serve as its dress rehearsal; the Olympics, possibly as a multi-city bid with Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, and Bhopal will be the main event.&nbsp;
Whether this gamble pays off will depend on how well Gujarat can turn blueprints into enduring benefits, fix the shortcomings of past events, and ensure that the city is left with more than grand stadiums but a lasting, living sporting legacy.
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Gujarat aims for 2030 CWG, 2036 Olympics while tackling infrastructure and staffing gaps

Is Gujarat’s Dream of Hosting Games Within Reach?

Gujarat aims for 2030 CWG, 2036 Olympics while tackling infrastructure and staffing gaps

August 16, 2025 | 01:21 IST