Amdavad to host 2029 IWF World Championships, India's first weightlifting worlds
Synopsis
India will host the IWF World Championships for the very first time in 2029, with Amdavad confirmed as the venue after an IWF Executive Board decision in Ningbo. Coming a year before the city hosts the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the award marks a major leap for Indian weightlifting — a sport that already boasts 18 World Championship medals and three world titles.
Key Takeaways
Amdavad, Gujarat has been awarded the 2029 IWF World Championships — the first time India will host the global weightlifting championships.
The IWF Executive Board confirmed the decision on 25 October 2026 in Ningbo, China .
Gandhinagar hosted the Asian Weightlifting Championships earlier in 2026 , underlining Gujarat's growing role in international weightlifting.
India has won 18 World Championship medals , including three world titles , in IWF history.
Amdavad is also set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games , making it a two-year window of major global events for the city.
Usha cited Mirabai Chanu's legacy as inspiration for the next generation of Indian weightlifters.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has welcomed the award of the 2029 IWF World Championships to Amdavad, Gujarat, marking the first time the global weightlifting championships will be held on Indian soil. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) confirmed the hosting rights following an Executive Board decision on 25 October 2026 in Ningbo, China.
A Historic First for Indian Weightlifting
India has never previously hosted the IWF World Championships, making the 2029 edition a landmark moment for the sport in the country. The decision builds on Gujarat's growing reputation as a hub for international weightlifting events — Gandhinagar staged the Asian Weightlifting Championships earlier in 2026, giving the state recent organisational experience at the continental level.
Amdavad is already scheduled to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, meaning the 2029 IWF World Championships will serve as an important operational dress rehearsal for that larger event, while independently delivering a top-tier global competition to an Indian audience.
What IOA President P.T. Usha Said
Dr. P.T. Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association, described the award as a proud moment for Indian sport. “The 2029 IWF World Championships coming to Amdavad is a proud moment for Indian sport and another opportunity for India to welcome the world. Indian weightlifting has given us remarkable champions, including Olympic medallist and world champion Mirabai Chanu, whose achievements have inspired so many across the country,” she said.
Usha added that bringing the world’s best weightlifters to India would “give a new generation the opportunity to see them compete on home soil and, I hope, inspire many more young Indians to take up the sport and dream of competing at the highest level.”
Indian Weightlifting Federation's Response
Sahdev Yadav, President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF), emphasised the historical weight of the occasion. “Hosting the IWF World Championships in India for the first time is an important milestone for Indian weightlifting. India has a proud history at the Championships, with 18 World Championship medals to its name, including three world titles,” he said.
Yadav noted that the 2029 edition presents an opportunity to “build on that legacy, strengthen the sport in India and give our athletes the experience of competing at the highest level in front of a home crowd.”
India's Rising Global Sports Hosting Ambitions
This comes amid a broader push by India to secure major international sporting events. With the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the 2029 IWF World Championships, and the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar already on the recent calendar, Gujarat in particular is emerging as a preferred destination for global sports federations. Notably, Amdavad hosting back-to-back prestige events in 2029 and 2030 will test the city’s infrastructure and organisational capacity at an unprecedented scale.
With less than three years to go, preparations in Amdavad are expected to begin in earnest, and the spotlight will now turn to how India leverages the championships to develop its next generation of weightlifting talent.
Point of View
But the harder question is whether India can convert hosting rights into a sustained pipeline of elite weightlifters. Gujarat has organisational momentum — the 2026 Asian Championships and the incoming 2030 Commonwealth Games create a rare cluster — yet India's 18 World Championship medals have been spread over decades, and Mirabai Chanu remains an outlier rather than a cohort. The championship should come with a parallel investment in grassroots infrastructure and coach development, otherwise the event risks being a celebrated moment without structural follow-through. The IWF's nod is the easy part; building the next Mirabai before a home crowd in 2029 is the real test.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where will the 2029 IWF World Championships be held?
The 2029 IWF World Championships will be held in Amdavad, Gujarat, India. The IWF Executive Board confirmed the award on 25 October 2026 during a meeting in Ningbo, China.
Is this the first time India is hosting the IWF World Championships?
Yes, the 2029 edition will be the first time India hosts the IWF World Championships. India has previously competed with distinction at the event, earning 18 World Championship medals including three world titles, but has never before staged the competition.
What is India's track record at the IWF World Championships?
India has won 18 medals at the IWF World Championships, including three world titles. Olympic medallist and world champion Mirabai Chanu is among the most prominent figures from India's weightlifting history on the global stage.
How does the 2029 IWF World Championships connect to the 2030 Commonwealth Games?
Both events are hosted by Amdavad. The 2029 IWF World Championships will precede the 2030 Commonwealth Games by one year, effectively serving as a major test of the city's event-management and sporting infrastructure ahead of the larger multi-sport Games.
What did IOA President P.T. Usha say about the 2029 IWF World Championships?
Dr. P.T. Usha said the award was 'a proud moment for Indian sport,' citing Mirabai Chanu's achievements as an inspiration and expressing hope that hosting the event would encourage a new generation of Indians to pursue weightlifting at the highest level.
