Participants competed in ten sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo, lawn bowls, shooting and weightlifting.

New Delhi lost the hosting rights to Auckland by a margin of 1 vote, which made it the closest host selection vote in the history of Commonwealth Games The opening of the games comprised a variety of events, including the arrival of The Queen's representative Prince Edward (her youngest son), the arrival of the Queen's Baton, and many Māori ceremonial stories.

Dame Whina Cooper then made a speech about the Treaty of Waitangi signed in 1840 that brought about peace and stability of modern New Zealand.

Introduction of the European communities was next with music and native dancing from European countries such as Italy, Poland, Greece, Netherlands, Scotland, Ireland, Austria, Wales and England, and music and native dancing also from Asian countries such as China, Sri Lanka and India.

After Morrison, the Queen's Baton arrived at the stadium where Prince Edward announced the opening of the games which was followed by the Athletes Pledge.

Fireworks followed and was capped off with a night time flyover by nine A-4 Skyhawk jets of the Royal New Zealand Air Forces 75 Squadron.

Attended by HM The Queen of New Zealand, formality and respect played their due part in the beginning with protocolar segment with the handover to the Commonwealth Games flag to the next host city, Victoria, Canada.

The Queen then made the traditional closing speech and called for all the Commonwealth's athletes to assemble in four years time in Victoria.

The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Edward then exited the stadium standing in open top vehicles.