Ahmedabad to host three major international sports events in 2025

Image used for representational purpose (Source: Reuters)

Ahmedabad city will host three major international sports events, including the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship, this year, it was announced on Tuesday.

The three major competitions in 2025 -- the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship, the Asian Aquatics Championship, and the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup Football Qualifiers -- will bring elite athletes from around the world to the Gujarat city, said an official release.

Gujarat, long known for its trade and enterprise, is now poised to make its mark on the global sporting stage, it added.

The prestigious Commonwealth Weightlifting Championship 2025 will be held at the Naranpura Sports Complex in Ahmedabad from August 24 to 30. More than 350 players from 29 countries will participate in the championship, said the release.

This will be followed by the Asian Aquatics Championship in September-October, in which swimmers from countries like China, Japan, and Korea will participate.

Notably, India is one of the seven host countries for the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers to be held from November 22 to 30.

All the football matches scheduled in India will take place at 'The Arena by TransStadia' in Ahmedabad. The qualifiers to be held in Ahmedabad will host Group D matches, in which countries such as India, Iran, Chinese Taipei, and Lebanon will participate.

In 2026, Ahmedabad will also host the Asian Weightlifting Championship and the Archery Asia Para Cup -- a world ranking tournament.

Additionally, India has earned the honour of hosting the World Police and Fire Games 2029, and this prestigious international tournament will be held in Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, and Ekta Nagar (Kevadia) in Gujarat.

Recently, India's bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games was approved, and Ahmedabad has been selected as the host city for this prestigious event.

All these events will prove to be an important step towards establishing the state as a multi-sport high-performance destination, said the release.

With modern sports complexes and advanced facilities coupled with the new Sports Policy 2022-27, Gujarat has now become capable of hosting international-level competitions, it added.