The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has welcomed the decision to award Amdavad, Gujarat, the hosting rights for the 2029 IWF World Weightlifting Championships — marking the first time the global showpiece will be held on Indian soil. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) Executive Board confirmed the decision on 25 October 2026 during a meeting 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 event will bring the world's top weightlifters to Indian audiences for the first time, offering a platform that the sport's administrators hope will inspire a new generation of athletes.

This comes after a significant year for weightlifting in Gujarat: Gandhinagar hosted the Asian Weightlifting Championships earlier in 2026, demonstrating the state's growing capacity to stage high-profile international competitions.

What the Leadership Said

P.T. Usha, President of the Indian Olympic Association, said the hosting rights represent a proud chapter 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: 'Bringing the world's best weightlifters to India will 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.'

Sahdev Yadav, President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF), called it an important milestone. '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 their name, including three world titles,' he said. Yadav added that the 2029 edition offers an opportunity to build on that legacy and strengthen the sport domestically.

Amdavad's Expanding Global Sports Calendar

The IWF World Championships announcement adds considerable weight to Amdavad's emergence as a major international sporting hub. The city is already confirmed as the host of the 2030 Commonwealth Games, meaning the back-to-back scheduling of two marquee global events signals strong infrastructure investment and organisational confidence from both state and central authorities.

Notably, Amdavad's twin-hosting milestone — the 2029 IWF Worlds and the 2030 Commonwealth Games — puts the city in rare company among Indian metropolises that have secured consecutive global sporting mandates within a single decade.

India's Weightlifting Pedigree

India's record at the IWF World Championships includes 18 medals and three world titles, according to the IWLF. Mirabai Chanu, who won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and is a multiple World Championship medallist, remains the sport's most prominent ambassador in the country. A home championship in 2029 could coincide with the peak years of the current generation of Indian lifters, raising the stakes for both performance and legacy.

What Comes Next

With the IWF Executive Board's confirmation in place, organisational groundwork for the 2029 IWF World Championships in Amdavad is expected to begin in coordination with the IWLF, IOA, and Gujarat state authorities. The event is likely to draw additional focus to athlete development pipelines and infrastructure upgrades ahead of the concurrent 2030 Commonwealth Games preparations.