Nigeria loses 2030 Commonwealth Games bid to India News

India has been confirmed as the host of the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in 2030, beating Nigeria’s Abuja to the rights after a competitive bid process that came down to the wire, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The city of Ahmedabad, located in the western state of Gujarat, was chosen ahead of Nigeria’s capital by the Executive Board of Commonwealth Sport on Wednesday.

The decision, which is expected to be formally ratified during the organisation’s general assembly in Glasgow on November 26, will see the Games return to India for the first time since Delhi hosted them in 2010.

Ahmedabad’s successful bid was built around world-class infrastructure, including the Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest sports venue on the planet with a capacity of 132,000, which famously hosted the 2023 Cricket World Cup final. With a population of over five million people and a growing sporting profile, the city has even been touted as a potential future Olympic Games host.

In August 2025, a high-level Nigerian delegation comprising government and sports officials met with the Commonwealth Games Federation at its London headquarters to make a case for the country’s readiness and capacity to deliver a sustainable event.

Both Abuja and Ahmedabad were the only two bidders to meet Commonwealth Sport’s August 31 submission deadline.

According to Commonwealth Sport president Donald Rukare, the interest from two leading sporting nations underscored the Games’ enduring global appeal.

“This positive response from two sporting powerhouse nations of the Commonwealth demonstrates the continued significance and legacy potential of the Commonwealth Games and the strength and appeal of our reimagined, sustainable Games model,” Rukare said.

India’s bid gained momentum after the collapse of Canada’s multi-province proposal earlier in the year. Hamilton, Ontario, the host city of the inaugural 1930 Games, had been considered a sentimental favourite to stage the centenary edition but withdrew after the provincial government backed out for financial reasons.

Commonwealth Sport revealed that the evaluation commission assessed candidate cities against a wide range of criteria, including infrastructure readiness, athlete experience, governance, and alignment with Commonwealth Sport values.

While confirming Ahmedabad’s selection, the governing body noted that efforts would continue to help Nigeria realise its ambition of hosting in the near future.

“The Commonwealth Sport Executive Board has agreed to develop a strategy for supporting and accelerating Nigeria’s hosting ambitions for future Games, including consideration for 2034,” a statement from the organisation read.

The 2030 Games will mark a century since the first edition, then known as the British Empire Games, was held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930. The event in Ahmedabad is also expected to further stabilise the Commonwealth Games’ future after years of uncertainty, following the withdrawals of Victoria in 2026 and Durban in 2022.

With India’s victory, the Commonwealth’s centenary celebration will return to Asia, but for Nigeria and Africa at large, the wait to bring the historic multi-sport competition to the continent continues.