Ahmedabad CWG to have 17 sports, to be set at lower cost than previous games
Seventeen sports will feature at the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, which is set to be staged at around 60 per cent lower cost than previous editions as part of the Commonwealth Sport’s revamped hosting model, CEO Katie Sadleir said on Monday.
The 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, scheduled to begin next month, will be a scaled-down edition featuring 10 able-bodied and six para sports in an effort to deliver a more cost-effective event.
However, the programme will expand significantly for the 2030 Games in Ahmedabad.
“We will be going back up to a programme of 17 sports in Ahmedabad,” Sadleir said in a virtual media briefing.
“And we’re currently working with the Indian Olympic Committee and the Government of India to work through that programme. So, it will go back up,” she added.
Glasgow stepped in to host the 2026 Games after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew in July 2023 because of escalating costs and budget concerns.
As part of its ‘Games Reset’ principles, Commonwealth Sport has sought to drastically reduce hosting costs from the levels seen at previous editions. “60 per cent is part of our reimagined reset for the future, and it’s definitely where we’re pitching Ahmedabad. Glasgow has done a spectacular job at making a significant reduction on 60 per cent from the Birmingham Games,” Sadleir said.
To put the cost-cutting into perspective, the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games cost approximately 780 million pounds, while the 2026 Glasgow edition is expected to be delivered for around 160 million pounds.
“We’ve gone from what was a 780 million-pound Games in Birmingham in 2022, to 160 million-pound Games in Glasgow in 2026,” Chief Executive Officer of the Glasgow 2026 Organising Company, Phil Batty, said.
Batty added that Glasgow’s cost-effective model has been built around the city’s existing infrastructure and sustainability goals.
“The first is we’ve designed the event to the footprint of the city. So that’s everything, from looking at the existing active transport networks, to public transport networks throughout the city, to the facilities.”
“The second is prioritising environmental sustainability. So moving away from diesel cars to an electric fleet and an EV shuttle bus service,’ Batty added.
