Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: What you need to know after Victoria's withdrawal
Quick Look
- Glasgow is set to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games from July 23 to August 2, following Victoria, Australia's withdrawal due to escalating costs.
- The event will feature a reduced program of 10 sports, utilizing existing venues along the River Clyde, with Australia sending 255 athletes.
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Why It Matters
The 2026 Commonwealth Games were initially awarded to Victoria, Australia, in April 2022, but the Victorian government withdrew in July 2023 due to projected cost overruns from $2.6 billion to $6 billion. Glasgow was subsequently announced as the new host in September 2024.
As we adjust our body clocks from the FIFA World Cup, you would do well to stay a little out of whack as the 2026 Commonwealth Games kicks off in Glasgow.
It's been an unusually rocky road for the sporting carnival, so here's what you need to know.
When are the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on?
The 2026 Commonwealth Games start on July 23 and run through until August 2 (the early hours of August 3 in Australia).
The first event of the Games takes place on Day Zero, with an extra session of bowls and para bowls added to the schedule (from 6:30pm AEST July 23 to 1:25am July 24) due to "unprecedented demand".
Later that day, the opening ceremony will be held from 5am AEST on July 24.
Track and field star Nina Kennedy will be Australia's flag-bearer and para swimmer Tim Hodge will carry the King's baton.
Most days, competition will start about 5:30pm AEST and wrap up the following morning after 7am, with swimming (July 24–30) and athletics (July 27 — August 2) finals in that morning slot.
ABC Sport will be live blogging every day of the Games.
Weren't they supposed to be in Victoria?
Oh boy, were they ever.
There was an initial campaign from regional centres in Victoria — Greater Shepparton, Wodonga, Bendigo, Ballarat, Warrnambool and Traralgon — to host the 2030 Games.
Then, in April 2022, it was confirmed that the Commonwealth Games would head to Victoria four years early, in 2026, centred in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland, with an opening ceremony in Melbourne.
Then-premier Daniel Andrews spruked the jobs, infrastructure and income the Games would bring to the regions and promised "a Commonwealth Games like no other".
Turns out he was right, just not in the way he or we might have expected.
Over time, criticism of the decision mounted, adjustments were made to the plans, and costs blew out.
Then, in July 2023, just 15 months after winning the hosting rights, the Victorian government announced it was pulling out of hosting, much to the chagrin of Commonwealth Games Australia and the international organising body.
Andrews said the cost, initially slated to be $2.6 billion, was looking more like $6 billion and it was no longer tenable.
Shortly after withdrawing, the then-government reached an agreement to pay $380 million in compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation (now Commonwealth Sport), Commonwealth Games Federation Partnerships and Commonwealth Games Australia.
In September 2024, it was announced Glasgow would host again, 12 years after the 2014 Games in the Scottish capital, albeit with about $200 million from Victorian taxpayers.
As a result of the truncated planning time, a month later organisers announced the slate of sports would be cut way back.
So, what sports are being played at Glasgow 2026?
Glasgow hustled to put together these Games with just 10 sports, down from more than 20 (depending on how you count it) at the 2022 Games in Birmingham.
Hockey, diving, badminton, beach volleyball, cricket, road cycling, mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, rugby sevens, squash, table tennis, triathlon and wrestling were all ditched, leaving us with:
3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball
Artistic gymnastics
Athletics and para athletics
Bowls and para bowls
Boxing
Judo
Netball
Para powerlifting and weightlifting
Swimming and para swimming
Track cycling and para track cycling
Where will the events be held?
The events selected meant the slimmed-down Games could be hosted in existing venues in a 13-kilometre corridor along the River Clyde.
Swimming will be held at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre and Scotstoun Stadium will host the athletics.
Glasgow International Arena will pull double duty as the venue for track cycling (at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome) and artistic gymnastics.
The Scottish Event Campus includes three venues: The Hydro, which will host the opening ceremony and the netball; the Armadillo, for weightlifting and para powerlifting; and the SEC Centre, a series of exhibition halls where the basketball, bowls, boxing and judo will play out.
Who is competing for Australia?
Australia is sending 255 athletes to Glasgow, competing in every sport on the program.
The athletics team has 86 competitors, while the Dolphins are bringing 59 swimmers.