Gujarat will host eight disciplines of the World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) 2029. The event will be held at the National Defence University (RRU) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- The National Defence University (RRU) of Gujarat will host eight disciplines of the 23rd World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) 2029. This will mark India’s first appearance as a host nation for this prestigious global event.
- The World Police and Fire Games is a biennial, Olympic-style sporting event. It is specifically for police, fire service, and law enforcement personnel from around the world.
- The games include more than 60 sports disciplines, with thousands of participants taking part. In the 2025 USA edition, more than 9,000 athletes participated, and India won more than 600 medals, reflecting its strong performance.
Previous editions of the World Police and Fire Games
- After China, India is the second Asian country to host the World Police and Fire Games. China’s Chengdu hosted the 18th World Police and Fire Games in 2019.
- The 21st World Police and Fire Games were held in Birmingham, United States, in 2025, and the 22nd Games will be held in Perth, Australia, in 2027.
- The first World Police and Fire Games were held in San Jose, California, United States, in 1985.
- The World Police and Fire Games Federation, headquartered in Birmingham, United States, is the governing body of the World Police and Fire Games. Every two years, the World Police and Fire Games Federation selects a city or organization to host the World Police and Fire Games.
Games included in the World Police and Fire Games 2029
- RRU will host eight sports disciplines during WPFG 2029. These include arm wrestling, bench press, bodybuilding, cross country (10 km), push-pull lifting, muster, indoor rowing, and darts.
- These events will be organized using RRU’s advanced sports and training infrastructure.
- To ensure smooth operations, RRU has established a dedicated secretariat. The secretariat will manage planning, logistics, venue operations, and athlete services.
- The university is also preparing a cadre of 500 volunteers to support event operations. This reflects a professional and long-term approach to hosting international sports events.
21st World Police and Fire Games 2025
- Team India won a total of 592 medals at the 21st edition of the World Police and Fire Games 2025 held in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, including 282 gold, 181 silver, and 129 bronze medals.
- According to the competition website, India finished third overall, with the USA (a total of 1,525 medals including 631 gold, 496 silver, and 398 bronze) and Brazil (a total of 882 medals including 338 gold, 289 silver, and 255 bronze) finishing first and second respectively.
BCORE
- Established in June 2024, the Bharat Centre of Olympic Research and Education (BCORE) is India and South Asia’s first Olympic Studies Centre to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
- BCORE has announced the BCORE Night Run 2026 to be held in Gandhinagar on 10 January, 2026 — a unique mass participation event designed to promote night safety, inclusivity, and Olympic values in communities.
Hosting of the International Olympic Research Conference 2026
- In addition to WPFG 2029, RRU will also host the second International Olympic Research Conference (IORC). This conference will be held in Gandhinagar from 27 to 30 January, 2026.
- The theme of IORC 2026 is “Building a Sustainable Olympic Ecosystem through Education, Governance and Research.”
- This prestigious meeting will bring together global Olympic studies centres, National Olympic Committees (NOCs), sports administrators, researchers, academics, and policy makers to collectively advance research and knowledge exchange within the Olympic movement.