The 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad will feature 17 sports and be delivered at significantly lower costs than previous editions, according to Commonwealth Sport chief executive Katie Sadleir.

Speaking during a virtual media briefing, Sadleir said the event would follow the organisation’s revamped hosting model, which aims to reduce the financial burden on host cities while maintaining the scale and appeal of the Games.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, scheduled to begin next month, will be a scaled-down edition featuring 10 able-bodied sports and six para sports. However, the programme is set to expand considerably when India hosts the event in 2030.

“We will be going back up to a programme of 17 sports in Ahmedabad,” Sadleir said, adding that discussions are ongoing with Indian authorities regarding the final sports programme.

New hosting model focuses on sustainability

Commonwealth Sport introduced its “Games Reset” initiative after several potential hosts expressed concerns over the rising costs of staging major multi-sport events. The move gained urgency after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew from hosting the 2026 Games in 2023 due to escalating expenses.

Sadleir said Ahmedabad is expected to deliver the Games at around 60 per cent lower cost than earlier editions under the new framework.

The scale of the savings can be seen in recent editions. The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games cost approximately £780 million, while Glasgow 2026 is projected to be staged for around £160 million.

Glasgow 2026 Organising Committee chief executive Phil Batty attributed the reduced costs to the use of existing venues, public transport infrastructure and sustainability-focused measures such as electric vehicle fleets and shuttle services.

According to Commonwealth Sport, the more affordable model has generated greater interest from potential host nations and is expected to make the Games more accessible across the Commonwealth.

The 2030 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad in October 2030 and are also seen as an important step in India’s broader ambitions to host major global sporting events in the future.