Glasgow To Host 2026 Commonwealth Games
Glasgow has been chosen to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The fate of the 2026 Games had been in doubt after the original host state of Victoria, Australia, withdrew last year due to rising costs.
But last month the Scottish government effectively whitewashed Glasgow, and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced Tuesday that the 2014 host city will host the next Games.
The 2022 Games, to be held in Birmingham in central England, will feature 19 events, while this year’s Games will feature just 10.
Para-sports will once again be fully integrated as “a key priority and point of difference for the Games,” and six para-sports will be included in the program.
Athletics and para-athletics (track and field), swimming and para-swimming, gymnastics, track and field cycling and para-athletics, netball, weightlifting and para-weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowling and para-bowling, and 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball will be included.
According to CGF, Glasgow 2026 is expected to bring more than 100 million pounds ($130 million) of inward investment to Glasgow and more than 150 million pounds of economic added value to the region.
“On behalf of the entire Commonwealth sport movement, we are delighted to officially confirm that the 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place in the host city of Glasgow,” said CGF chief executive Katie Sadleir.
Britain and Australia have staged five of the last six editions between them, but Sadleir believes a slimmed-down model will increase the potential pool of future hosts.
“The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow,” added Sadleir.
“An exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible, and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact — in doing so increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.”
The CGF insisted there would be no need for public funding to deliver the Glasgow Games, with Australia providing part of the costs after Victoria’s withdrawal.
Victoria pulled out after citing a projected cost of more than A$6 billion (£3.13 billion, $4.09 billion).
The Commonwealth Games, held every four years, evolved out of the British Empire Games and is still composed mainly of countries once subject to British imperial rule.
