India, Nigeria Submit Bids To Host 2030 Commonwealth Games

Two countries have submitted bids to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games. The fact that there is any bid at all is good news for what’s been perceived as a shaky future for the event that’s held every four years.

Both India and Nigeria have submitted bids to play host to the 2030 Commonwealth Games after plenty of chaos has surrounded the 2026 version of the event.

Canada was expected to be in the running, but decided not to put together a bid.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games were originally slated to be held in Australia, but the state of Victoria pulled out of hosting back in 2023, saying that hosting the Games was “all cost and no benefit,” according to an article in The Week.

Fortunately for organizers, Glasgow, Scotland, agreed to step up and host in 2026, albeit in a  condensed manner.

There is scheduled to be competition in only 11 sports, compared to 20 for the 2022 event that was moved from Durban, South Africa to Birmingham, England, for financial reasons.

Swimming will be one of the sports contested in Glasgow, which won’t have a village for the athletes.

The 2022 event certainly wasn’t cheap, as it reportedly cost England more than $934 million. The rising costs certainly produced fears that 2026 might be it for the Commonwealth Games, but Nigeria and India’s interest in hosting for 2030 should prolong an event first conducted in 1930 and will celebrate its 100th anniversary.

The official host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games is expected to be announced in November.

The Commonwealth Games bring together 56 member states of the British Commonwealth, a majority of which were developed by the British Empire.

“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,” Commonwealth Sports president Donald Rukare said in a statement.

India is bidding for the Commonwealth Games as a prelude to a possible bid for the 2036 Summer Olympics in the western city of Ahmedabad, which is also the preferred city for the Commonwealth Games.

In terms of the swimming competition, Australia dominated at the 2022 event, winning nearly half the gold medals (25 of 52) and accumulating 65 medals, more than double of the country with the next-highest total, England (32).