As India steps up preparations to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 and continues its bid for the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said hosting international sporting events is helping the country build its reputation as a global sporting destination while giving Indian athletes the chance to compete against the world’s best at home.
Over the last 18 months, India has hosted a packed calendar of international competitions across several cities, underlining the country’s growing ability to organise major sporting events.
According to the Sports Ministry, India organised 36 international competitions between January 2025 and June 2026 across more than 15 cities, including New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Chennai, Goa, Guwahati, Rajgir, Patna, Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow and Mahabalipuram.
The events covered a wide range of sports, including athletics, hockey, badminton, shooting, boxing, table tennis, football, aquatics, cycling, fencing, volleyball, rugby, chess, surfing and several para sports. The calendar featured World Championships, World Cups, Asian Championships, continental qualifiers and international ranking tournaments.
Several of these competitions were hosted in India for the first time, while Indian athletes also delivered some memorable performances on home soil.
“Hosting international competitions has become a key pillar in India’s sporting ecosystem. Apart from enhancing the nation’s global reputation, these events provide invaluable competitive exposure for Indian athletes, reduce the financial burden of overseas participation, strengthen technical expertise among officials and volunteers, and create lasting sporting infrastructure and operational capabilities across multiple cities.
“As we prepare to host CWG 2030, and bid for Olympic 2036, the experience gained from hosting events in 15 cities will help us strengthen our capabilities further,” Mandaviya said.
India’s busy sporting calendar is far from over. The country is scheduled to host 11 more international competitions between July and December this year, including the Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships, World Snooker Championships, Para Archery Asia Cup, World Surf League events, Asian Junior Chess Championships and several international tournaments in badminton, football and rugby.
The pipeline remains equally strong beyond 2026. India has already secured the hosting rights for 19 major international events across 2027 and 2028.
Among the biggest attractions are the World Athletics Indoor Championships 2028 in Bhubaneswar, the ISSF World Cup, the Asian Shooting Championships, the Asian Indoor Athletics Championships and the FIH Pro League home leg. Several international events in badminton, surfing, table tennis and para athletics are also scheduled during this period.
The Sports Ministry added that several National Sports Federations are continuing to bid for more continental and world-level competitions, reflecting India’s growing standing in international sport.
With more than 65 international competitions already confirmed between 2025 and 2028, India is steadily building the experience and infrastructure needed to stage even bigger global events in the years ahead.