Commonwealth Games
Glasgow confirmed as host of ‘lighter and leaner’ 2026 Commonwealth Games
Glasgow was confirmed as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games on Tuesday. The Scottish city stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew due to cost concerns. Organisers are set to deliver a pared-down edition of the multi-sport event.
Among the sports to be axed from the programme are badminton, cricket, hockey and rugby sevens.
The Games, which will run from July 23 to Aug. 2 in 2026, will feature 10 sports across four venues – athletics, swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3×3 basketball.
It will also feature para sports including athletics, swimming, track cycling and wheelchair basketball.
“Glasgow 2026 will have all the drama, passion and joy that we know the Commonwealth Games delivers even if it is to be lighter and leaner than some previous editions,” Commonwealth Games Scotland chief executive Jon Doig said.
“It will be more accessible, delivered on a smaller footprint which brings our fans closer to the sporting action.”
Glasgow also hosted the event in 2014 and Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO Katie Sadleir said the legacy of that edition would provide sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, as well as world-class venues and expertise.
The Games were originally slated for Victoria but the state withdrew as host in 2023 due to rising costs. Malaysia briefly considered an offer to stage the event but rejected it in March citing time constraints as well as costs and funding issues.
Glasgow stepped in as a back-up venue in April and the Scottish government backed the bid to host a scaled-down version, with the CGF offering 100 million pounds ($130 million) in supporting funds.
Commonwealth Games Australia has also committed to a multimillion pound investment to help the Glasgow bid.
Five of the previous six editions of the Games were held in Australia or Britain and questions continue to swirl about their relevance, with top athletes often electing to skip them.
Canada’s Alberta province last year withdrew its support for a bid for the 2030 Games and the CGF has yet to find a host for the centenary edition of the event.
-Reuters
Commonwealth Games
Scotland which beat Nigeria for 2014 Games may step in for ‘stepped-down’ 2026 Commonwealth Games
Scotland’s Commonwealth Games body has developed a “cost-effective” way to host the troubled 2026 event in Glasgow amid continued uncertainty over its long-term future. Glasgow beat Abuja, Nigeria for the 2014 Games which Nigeria had intended to use to mark the 100th anniversary of the creation of the nation state.
Nigeria became a geographical entity 0n 1 January 1914 when the northern part and Southern part as well as the Lagos Colony were amalgamated.
The 2014 Games were awarded to Scotland which is now likely to use the same facilities for the troubled 2026 edition following the withdrawal of Australian state of Victoria as hosts.
Glasgow commissioned a feasibility study in December. Estimates suggest Scotland could run the event for between £130m and £150m – with the potential to bring more than £100m into the economy.
Existing sports facilities like the Emirates Arena would be used again instead of new builds, and competitors would be housed in local hotels rather than an athletes’ village.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has said it will provide £100m for the chosen host nation, with the remaining budget funded by ticket sales and broadcasting rights.
The usual programme, however, would need to be cut down to between 10 and 13 events.
Malaysia has rejected an offer to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to uncertainty over costs and insufficient funding offered, its government said on Friday, in a major setback for the quadrennial multi-sport event.
Malaysia was asked to step in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host, citing ballooning costs, with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offering 100 million pounds ($126 million) in supporting funds.
Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled due to the Second World War.
The funding offered was not enough, officials said, and Malaysia could not commit to hosting the event at such short notice and with little time to assess the potential economic impact.
“If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it, but because there’s such a short time, we definitely can’t do it,” government spokesperson and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular briefing.
“When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.”
The London-based CGF did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Malaysia declining its offer.
The youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it had offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting a large-scale sports event.
“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it said in a statement.
RELEVANCE QUESTIONED
The Games are typically contested by about 70 countries and territories of the former British empire and medals tables have in recent editions been dominated by Australia, England, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.
Victoria’s withdrawal had already placed the future of the event in doubt and raised questions about whether a Games with colonial origins was still relevant in the modern era, and over its place in an already packed global sporting calendar.
The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.
The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.
Birmingham’s move led to the CGF scrambling to find another host for 2026 and Victoria had been the only viable candidate after several other cities withdrew from the bidding process over cost issues.
The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, due to concerns about costs and the lack of preparation time.
The Malaysian Olympic Council had this week proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes’ accommodations and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.
-Reuters
Malaysia has rejected an offer to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to uncertainty over costs and insufficient funding offered, its government said on Friday, in a major setback for the quadrennial multi-sport event.
Malaysia was asked to step in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host, citing ballooning costs, with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offering 100 million pounds ($126 million) in supporting funds.
Malaysia ruling itself out raises the possibility that the Games may not take place for the first time since being cancelled due to the Second World War.
The funding offered was not enough, officials said, and Malaysia could not commit to hosting the event at such short notice and with little time to assess the potential economic impact.
“If we had a longer time, we would definitely do it, but because there’s such a short time, we definitely can’t do it,” government spokesperson and Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil told a regular briefing.
“When we assessed the viability of hosting the Games, the length of time needed and the cost was seen to be particularly prohibitive.”
The London-based CGF did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Malaysia declining its offer.
The youth and sports ministry said the 100 million pounds funding it had offered would not be enough to cover the costs of hosting a large-scale sports event.
“Additionally, the economic impact could not be identified in this short timeframe,” it said in a statement.
RELEVANCE QUESTIONED
The Games are typically contested by about 70 countries and territories of the former British empire and medals tables have in recent editions been dominated by Australia, England, Canada, India, New Zealand and South Africa.
Victoria’s withdrawal had already placed the future of the event in doubt and raised questions about whether a Games with colonial origins was still relevant in the modern era, and over its place in an already packed global sporting calendar.
The Games has struggled to find a willing host in recent years and five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain.
The English city of Birmingham, which had been due to host in 2026, stepped in to save the 2022 event after South Africa were stripped of hosting rights over a lack of progress in preparations.
Birmingham’s move led to the CGF scrambling to find another host for 2026 and Victoria had been the only viable candidate after several other cities withdrew from the bidding process over cost issues.
The proposal had received a mixed response in Malaysia, which hosted the 1998 edition, due to concerns about costs and the lack of preparation time.
The Malaysian Olympic Council had this week proposed holding a downsized Games, with limited spending on athletes’ accommodations and smaller opening and closing ceremonies.
-Reuters
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