Australia Throws Weight Behind India’s 2036 Olympics Bid as Modi, Albanese Launch Sports Roadmap

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Friday launched.

The India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), with Australia officially backing India’s bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

The announcement was made during a special event celebrating the sporting partnership between the two nations. Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan, along with Australian cricket greats Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar, was also present at the ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Modi said India was entering a landmark decade for sport as it prepares to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and pursues its ambition of staging the 2036 Olympic Games.

“India is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030. We are also striving to host the Olympics in India in 2036. Brisbane will host the Olympics in 2032. Sports infrastructure will be developed on a mega scale to host these global events,” Modi said.

Shortly afterwards, Albanese announced Australia’s support for India’s Olympic bid, providing a major boost to New Delhi’s campaign to bring the Summer Games to the country for the first time.

Sports roadmap to deepen cooperation

The India-Australia Sports Collaboration Roadmap outlines cooperation in sports training, coaching, sports science, technology, infrastructure development and investment. It also envisages the launch of an India-Australia Youth Sports Festival to promote exchanges between young athletes.

A key highlight of the initiative is the decision to stage the opening match of the 2026-27 Big Bash League (BBL) season in India. The fixture between the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers will be played at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium in December, becoming the first official overseas franchise league match to be held in India.

The Australian government said the game would headline its week-long ‘G’Day Namaste’ festival, showcasing Australian business, culture and sport across India.

Welcoming the announcement, Modi said India offered unmatched opportunities for global sporting events.

“I am delighted that a Big Bash League match will be held in Chennai. For any sporting league, hosting an event in India guarantees extensive reach and viewership,” he said.

‘Cricket is our shared passion’

Modi described sport as one of the strongest pillars of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, noting that cricket has long united the people of both countries.

“For any Indian visiting the MCG, two emotions arise together. One is the excitement of an India-Australia cricket match, and the other is the realisation that cricket is not merely a sport in our countries—it is a shared passion,” he said.

He added that the newly launched roadmap would broaden cooperation beyond cricket into several other sporting disciplines.

Praising Steve Waugh and Lisa Sthalekar, Modi said their careers reflected the values of “talent, temperament and tenacity” needed to become champions.

Australia sees sport as strategic partnership

Albanese said the roadmap would strengthen collaboration in sports capability building, innovation, technology and research while creating new opportunities in trade, tourism and investment.

“Australia and India are united by our love of sport. This roadmap focuses on practical cooperation that will strengthen an important pillar of our bilateral relationship,” Albanese said.

The two leaders also met young athletes participating in exhibition matches of cricket, kabaddi and Australian Rules football. Modi said watching the youngsters compete felt like witnessing “future champions in the making.”

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the launch of the sports roadmap and Australia’s endorsement of India’s 2036 Olympic bid mark a significant step in expanding bilateral ties through sports, cultural exchanges and people-to-people engagement.