- Glasgow to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026
- Agreement reached after Victoria pulled out
The 2026 Commonwealth Games in 2026 will be hosted in Glasgow following Dan Andrews’ embarrassing backflip last year – but will only feature 10 sports in a huge blow to some of Australia’s best sport stars.
It is significant reduction from the 19 sports that were held at the Birmingham Games two years ago, with the development sure to anger competitors who are building towards the LA Olympics in 2028.
And while Scotland has come to the rescue to ensure the Commonwealth Games do go ahead, millions of Aussie taxpayers will pay through the nose to make up for Victoria pulling out.
The multi-sport event had been endangered since the government of Victoria pulled out as host last July, citing spiralling costs, which it claimed had blown the budget out to $6billion.
Victoria is paying $380million in taxpayer-funded compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), of which $200million will be directed to Scotland to cover its hosting costs.
That figure will be topped up by $4.5million from Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) to cover security, with neither the UK nor Scottish governments prepared to use public money.
‘This is a fantastic outcome for the Commonwealth sport movement,’ CGA president Ben Houston said.
‘The Commonwealth Games are at the heart of Australia’s performance pathway, often providing the launch pad for continued and ongoing success by Australian athletes.
Aussie pole vaulter Nina Kennedy is pictured after winning gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where 19 sports were contested. That number will drop to just 10 in Glasgow in 2026
Dan Andrews’ backflip last year has left taxpayers on the hook for $380million in compensation
‘They are irreplaceable in terms of providing global competition and, in the absence of an Australian host, it was in the interests of Australian sport that we make an overseas Games a reality.
‘We [also] know that a reduced sport program will have an impact on some member sports and their athletes….our commitment to them is that they will remain a valued member of the Commonwealth family.’
At this stage, it is not clear what sports will be cut – but athletics and swimming are guaranteed to survive.
The scaled-back 2026 edition of the Games will be staged at four existing venues in Glasgow, have budget opening and closing ceremonies plus no athletes’ village.
When the city last hosted in 2014 there were 17 sports and the event cost was about $1billion – Birmingham’s budget was nearly double that in 2022.
In a response to a written question lodged at the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Health and Sport Minister Neil Gray said: ‘The Scottish Government has conducted a thorough assessment of Commonwealth Games Scotland’s proposal for Glasgow to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
‘That assessment has been conducted alongside Commonwealth Games Scotland, the Commonwealth Games Federation, Glasgow City Council, the UK Government and, most recently, Commonwealth Games Australia.
‘The collaboration has been extremely positive and productive and has resulted in the finalisation of a strong event proposal that will help to support a new future for the Commonwealth Games and deliver economic and sporting opportunity for Scotland.
‘On that basis, I have written to Commonwealth Games Scotland today to inform them that the Scottish Government will give its support for the proposal.’
CGF president Chris Jenkins said it would work closely with Commonwealth Games Scotland to formally announce Glasgow as the host city as soon as possible.
‘We believe Glasgow 2026 will be an important first step in our commitment to reset and reframe the Commonwealth Games as a co-created, sustainable model that minimises costs, inspires athletes, and excites hosts and International federations,’ Jenkins said.
He confirmed CGA had contributed $4.5 million to ‘enhance the event’.
It will be the second successive Commonwealth Games to be salvaged by a British city, with Birmingham staging the 2022 event after the South African city of Durban was stripped of the event amid financial problems and missed deadlines.