Ahmedabad to Host 2029 World Weightlifting Championships, Adding to Build-Up for Commonwealth Games 2030

Ahmedabad will host the 2029 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships, bringing another major international sporting event to Gujarat as the city prepares for the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

The IWF Executive Board awarded the hosting rights at a meeting in Ningbo, China, on October 25, 2026. India competed with Russia and Venezuela for the 2029 senior championships, with Ahmedabad selected to stage the event. It will be the first time India hosts the IWF World Weightlifting Championships.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi announced the decision.

World championships to serve as Commonwealth Games qualifier

The 2029 championships will also serve as a qualifying event for the 2030 Commonwealth Games, giving weightlifters an opportunity to compete for places at the centenary edition of the Games.

The IWF also awarded the 2030 senior World Championships to Moscow. Prishtina in Kosovo will host the 2028 World Youth Championships, while Caracas in Venezuela will stage the 2028 World Junior Championships.

Ahmedabad hosts Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship

The announcement comes as Ahmedabad hosts the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship 2026 from October 23 to 31 at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex.

The nine-day tournament features more than 400 athletes from 13 countries, with 62 matches scheduled across the men's and women's competitions. The semi-finals are set for October 30, followed by the finals on October 31. 

The tournament is also being viewed as an opportunity to raise kabaddi's international profile ahead of the 2030 Commonwealth Games. Organisers have expressed hope that the sport could be included in the Games programme, although the final list of disciplines is yet to be decided.

Commonwealth Games 2030 preparations gather pace

Ahmedabad was formally awarded the hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games in November 2025. The centenary edition will mark 100 years since the first Commonwealth Games were held in Hamilton, Canada, in 1930.

Commonwealth Sport said in an October 2026 update that preparations were progressing, with the Amdavad 2030 Organising Company incorporated on August 31 and M. Thennarasan appointed as its chief executive officer. 

Weightlifting and para powerlifting are among the disciplines already confirmed for the 2030 Games. Hosting the 2029 world championships will give the city another major international event in the lead-up to the competition.

Sports infrastructure and international events

Gujarat has been expanding its sports infrastructure as it prepares to host major competitions. The Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Ahmedabad, built at a reported cost of ₹825 crore, was inaugurated in September 2025. The state has also been developing facilities linked to its wider ambitions for international sporting events.

With the 2029 World Weightlifting Championships added to the calendar, Ahmedabad's schedule now includes major competitions in the years leading up to the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

The new hosting rights will bring international weightlifting teams and officials to the city while providing Indian athletes with a global competition on home soil.