Ahmedabad to Host 2029 World Weightlifting Championships for the First Time in India

Ahmedabad, a city in the state of Gujarat, is set to host the 2029 World Weightlifting Championships and will be the first time the country will do so for the international competition. The International Weightlifting Federation made the announcement after the Executive Board Meeting held in Ningbo, China, on 25 October 2026. In addition to the hosting of the world competition, this is good news for the state of Gujarat which is going to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030 in Ahmedabad. The weightlifters from India have collected 18 medals in World Championships.

IWF Announces Hosts for World Championships Through 2030

The International Weightlifting Federation made announcements regarding four host cities for the international championships after holding its Executive Board Meeting in Ningbo, China, on 25 October 2026. Ahmedabad will host the World Senior Championships in 2029.

Year	Championship	Host city and country
2027	Senior World Championships	Yerevan, Armenia
2028	World Youth Championships	Prishtina, Kosovo
2028	World Junior Championships	Caracas, Venezuela
2029	Senior World Championships	Ahmedabad, India
2030	Senior World Championships	Moscow, Russia

Growth of Ahmedabad as an International Sports Destination

This step will enhance the hosting reputation of the state as a destination for hosting sporting events. Gandhinagar hosted the 2026 Asian Weightlifting Championships, and Ahmedabad will host the Commonwealth Games in 2030.

The 2029 World Championships would help in bringing together international weight lifters, authorities, and teams to India, while providing Indian spectators with the chance to see international-level sporting events at home. This event could also help India in its quest to become the host of such sporting events.

History of the World Weightlifting Championships

The World Weightlifting Championships are organized by the International Weightlifting Federation.

• 1891 – First World Weightlifting Championships took place
• 1987 – Women’s World Championships started
• 1991 – First men and women championship took place
• 2025 – World championships were held in the Førde, Norway
• 2026 – Ningbo, China will host the world championship from 27th October to 8th of November

Medal History of India in World Championships

The Indian weightlifters have collected 18 medals in World Weightlifting Championships so far, including three golds, 10 silvers and five bronzes, the sources reporting the selection of Ahmedabad as host for 2029 championships say.

Indian weightlifter and it’s Achievements

• Kunjarani Devi: Collected silver in the women’s 44 kg event in 1989, being the first Indian winning a medal in the championships
• Lalita Polley: Collected a bronze medal in 1989 championships
• Karnam Malleswari: Bagged successive world titles in the women’s 54 kg event in 1994 and 1995
• Mirabai Chanu: Bagged the world title in the women’s 48 kg event in 2017

This is quite an interesting history of India in international weightlifting. The hosting of 2029 championships will be an occasion for Indian athletes to perform at home at the top level of the sport.