Ahmedabad’s Asian Games bid gets Olympic Council of Asia’s backing, what happens next?

Continental body to send a group of leading international and Asian experts to visit Ahmedabad for an on-site review. Their report will be discussed on the sidelines of this year's Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) welcomed India’s bid to host the 2038 Asian Games in Ahmedabad, while confirming that an evaluation committee will soon visit the city to assess its readiness.

In a statement issued after its Executive Board meeting in Sanya, China, on Wednesday, the OCA said it had “welcomed the official bid submitted by the Indian Olympic Association to host the 2038 Asian Games in the city of Ahmedabad,” marking a significant step in India’s push to stage another major multi-sport event.

The OCA added that its Executive Board also “addressed a number of strategic matters concerning the future of the sports movement in Asia,” even as India’s proposal emerged as a key highlight of the discussions.

ALSO READ | After CWG, Olympics pitch, India now targets 2038 Asian Games

It is likely that the 2038 edition will be moved to 2039 as the OCA is set to shift the Asian Games to odd-numbered years to align with the Olympic cycle. The Asiad will be held a year before the Olympics, with the 2030 edition likely to be deferred to 2031 and 2034 to 2035. For many sports, the Asian Games will also double up as Olympic qualification events.

OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and members of the Executive Board noted that they “commended India’s ambitious vision to host the continent’s premier sporting event,” while also expressing “their appreciation for Ahmedabad’s bid to stage this Asian sporting celebration that brings together the continent’s finest athletes.”

As part of the formal process, the continental body has decided to move to the next stage of evaluation. “In line with the OCA’s established procedures for hosting bids, the Executive Board decided to form an Inspection and Evaluation Committee comprising a select group of leading international and Asian experts,” the statement said.

The committee is expected to visit Ahmedabad in the coming months for a comprehensive on-ground review. According to the OCA, the delegation will assess “the city’s sports venues and facilities, operational and logistical plans, infrastructure readiness, and allocated budget” before preparing a detailed technical report.

That report will be submitted to the Executive Board and discussed at its next meeting, scheduled in Nagoya, Japan, in September, on the sidelines of the Asian Games.

India’s expression of interest in hosting the 2038 Asian Games comes amid an aggressive push to position itself as a global sporting hub. After bidding for the 2036 Olympics and securing the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the country has now turned its focus to the continental showpiece.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had earlier written to the OCA formally expressing its interest. IOA chief executive Raghuram Iyer confirmed the development, stating that the body is “in touch with the OCA” and keen on bringing the Games to India.

The 2038 edition is currently the next available slot on the Asian Games calendar, with upcoming editions scheduled in Japan (2026), Qatar (2030) and Saudi Arabia (2034). Apart from India, South Korea and Mongolia have also shown interest in hosting the event.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) welcomed India’s bid to host the 2038 Asian Games in Ahmedabad, while confirming that an evaluation committee will soon visit the city to assess its readiness.

In a statement issued after its Executive Board meeting in Sanya, China, on Wednesday, the OCA said it had “welcomed the official bid submitted by the Indian Olympic Association to host the 2038 Asian Games in the city of Ahmedabad,” marking a significant step in India’s push to stage another major multi-sport event.

The OCA added that its Executive Board also “addressed a number of strategic matters concerning the future of the sports movement in Asia,” even as India’s proposal emerged as a key highlight of the discussions.

ALSO READ | After CWG, Olympics pitch, India now targets 2038 Asian Games

It is likely that the 2038 edition will be moved to 2039 as the OCA is set to shift the Asian Games to odd-numbered years to align with the Olympic cycle. The Asiad will be held a year before the Olympics, with the 2030 edition likely to be deferred to 2031 and 2034 to 2035. For many sports, the Asian Games will also double up as Olympic qualification events.

OCA President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and members of the Executive Board noted that they “commended India’s ambitious vision to host the continent’s premier sporting event,” while also expressing “their appreciation for Ahmedabad’s bid to stage this Asian sporting celebration that brings together the continent’s finest athletes.”

As part of the formal process, the continental body has decided to move to the next stage of evaluation. “In line with the OCA’s established procedures for hosting bids, the Executive Board decided to form an Inspection and Evaluation Committee comprising a select group of leading international and Asian experts,” the statement said.

The committee is expected to visit Ahmedabad in the coming months for a comprehensive on-ground review. According to the OCA, the delegation will assess “the city’s sports venues and facilities, operational and logistical plans, infrastructure readiness, and allocated budget” before preparing a detailed technical report.

That report will be submitted to the Executive Board and discussed at its next meeting, scheduled in Nagoya, Japan, in September, on the sidelines of the Asian Games.

India’s expression of interest in hosting the 2038 Asian Games comes amid an aggressive push to position itself as a global sporting hub. After bidding for the 2036 Olympics and securing the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the country has now turned its focus to the continental showpiece.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) had earlier written to the OCA formally expressing its interest. IOA chief executive Raghuram Iyer confirmed the development, stating that the body is “in touch with the OCA” and keen on bringing the Games to India.

The 2038 edition is currently the next available slot on the Asian Games calendar, with upcoming editions scheduled in Japan (2026), Qatar (2030) and Saudi Arabia (2034). Apart from India, South Korea and Mongolia have also shown interest in hosting the event.