The Chief Minister's Office of Gujarat announced on Monday, 22 June 2026 that a five-member delegation from World Athletics — the international governing body for the sport — visited Gandhinagar to evaluate the state's readiness to host two major global championships. The delegation was led by Antti Pihlakoski, Chairman of the World Athletics Bid Evaluation Panel, and held meetings with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi.

Context

Gujarat is in the running to host the World Athletics Under-20 Championship in 2028 and the World Athletics Championship in 2031. The delegation's visit was specifically aimed at inspecting the state's sports infrastructure and ancillary facilities in the context of these two proposed events. The CMO's post noted that the team came to study and assess Gujarat's preparedness for hosting both championships.

Policy Backdrop

Gujarat's bid is rooted in a sustained push to build international-standard sports infrastructure in western India. The state hosted the 36th National Games in 2022, an exercise that upgraded venues across multiple cities and demonstrated organisational capacity at a national scale. India's broader strategy of pursuing marquee global sporting events has found a willing partner in Gujarat, which has positioned itself as a regional sports hub in the years since.

World Athletics, formerly known as the IAAF, is the sole international governing body that sanctions global athletics championships. Its Bid Evaluation Panel conducts on-site inspections of candidate cities before recommending host selections to the governing council.

Stakeholders and Impact

A successful bid would place Gujarat — and by extension India — on the global athletics calendar for two consecutive major events within a three-year window. Young Indian athletes would gain home-ground exposure to elite international competition, while the state's sports infrastructure developers and hospitality sector would see significant investment and activity. The 2028 Under-20 Championship in particular is seen as a pipeline event for the next generation of track-and-field talent.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi, who holds responsibilities covering youth and sports affairs, was present at the meeting, signalling the political priority the state government attaches to the bid. The presence of both the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister at the delegation meeting underscores the highest-level commitment from Gandhinagar.

What's Next

World Athletics will complete its evaluation of all competing bids before the governing council takes a final decision on host cities for the 2028 and 2031 championships. The outcome of this inspection visit will feed into the Bid Evaluation Panel's formal report. If Gujarat secures both events, it would mark the first time India hosts a senior World Athletics Championship, a milestone that would significantly elevate the country's profile in global track-and-field governance.