India’s 2038 Asian Games Bid: Ahmedabad Awaits, Fate To Be Known Only By 2028

India has formally submitted its bid to host the 2038 Asian Games in Ahmedabad, but the country will have to wait until at least 2028 to know whether it has won the hosting rights, with five other countries also expressing interest in staging the continental sporting event.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) said on Friday that six countries have expressed interest in hosting the 2038 Games. OCA Director General Husain Al-Musallam specifically named India and the Philippines, while South Korea, Mongolia and other countries have also been reported as interested. The OCA has not publicly released the complete official list of six.

India submitted its Expression of Interest (EOI) in April, and the OCA Executive Board formally welcomed the Ahmedabad bid. An inspection and evaluation committee will assess the city's venues, infrastructure, logistics, operational plans and budget.

“There are 12 more years to go,” Al-Musallam said, adding that the committee will visit the interested countries next year before preparing an initial report and shortlist. A second evaluation will follow before the final recommendation.

Ahmedabad's infrastructure programme is already being shaped around major sporting events. The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Sports Enclave is being developed around the Motera area, while the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Naranpura is already operational. Plans include new sporting venues, training facilities and an athletes' village.

Connectivity is also being expanded. The Centre has approved a 6.032-km Ahmedabad Metro Phase 2A extension to the airport, involving five stations and taking the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar metro network to 77.63 km once operational.

The bid is part of India's broader sporting ambitions. Ahmedabad will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, while India is pursuing the 2036 Olympics. If the planned infrastructure is completed and successfully used for these events, it could provide India with valuable experience before the OCA's final assessment.

India last hosted the Asian Games in 1982 in New Delhi, after also staging the inaugural edition in 1951.

The 2030 Games will be held in Doha, followed by Riyadh in 2034. The 2023 Hangzhou Games attracted more than 11,000 athletes across 40 sports, underlining the scale of the event India is seeking to host.