There were fears that the 2026 Commonwealth Games would no longer be going ahead following Victoria’s shock withdrawal from hosting, but it now seems that the Games are set to be revived.
Coming off the back of the immensely successful Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a previous host of the Comm Games has put their hand up to host once again.
The Scottish government has confirmed its support for Glasgow to host the 2026 event!
There is no confirmation yet as it still needs to be proposed to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) who are in charge of the event, but sources say it’s likely to go ahead.
Glasgow last hosted the Comm Games in 2014, where nearly 5000 athletes competed across 17 sports.
However, it’s likely the 2026 event will be much more subdued to ensure it can go ahead and come in under budget – a projected $291 million AUD.
If Glasgow does indeed host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, organisers have claimed that between 10 and 13 sports are likely to be played.
Big sports such as athletics and swimming are both guaranteed to be featured, while hockey and cycling are also likely to make it thanks to existing infrastructure.
Regardless of the size and scale of the Games, Australian athletes will be thrilled to be able to compete on the world stage again before the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
Back in April 2024, Commonwealth Games Scotland chair Ian Reid shared his hope for a revived event.
“We know how important the Commonwealth Games is for athletes, sports and supporters, and we remain concerned about the impact the ongoing uncertainty around 2026 is having on everyone concerned,” he said in a statement.
“It is vital that a Games takes place in this cycle, and we are hopeful that a positive outcome can be delivered through the Commonwealth Games Federation’s discussions with other nations.
“Glasgow has a fantastic track record of delivering large sporting events within sensible budgets, with world class facilities and expertise already in place as a legacy of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games a decade ago.”
Victoria unexpectedly withdrew their hosting rights in July 2023, as a result of increased budget costs.
The state had original plans to host the Games across a variety of venues in regional Victoria, with a predicted cost of around $2.6 billion. However, this increased to more than $6 billion which no longer seemed viable or valuable.
In recent years, the Commonwealth Games have found it difficult to find a willing host, and as such, five of the past six events have been held in either Australia or Britain.
Most recently, the Games were held in Birmingham in 2022, and there were plans for the 2030 games to take place in Canada. However, both Hamilton and Alberta have cancelled their bids to host the sporting event.
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