Glasgow to host 2026 Commonwealth Games, Government approves deal for city to host Games for second time in 12 years

IT’S official: Glasgow will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Scotland’s largest city is stepping in after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out, paying £190.5 million to hand over responsibility.

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And it’s confirmed that Glasgow will be getting a slimmed down version of the gamesonly 12 years after the 2014 event.

We previously reported that a broad agreement had been reached for the Glasgow takeover, and now the Scottish Government has confirmed the move in a written statement parliament.

And what is crucial is that it is confirmed that NO Government funding from taxpayers will be required.

The 2014 Commonwealth The Games were the largest sporting event ever held in Scotland.

But in 2026 it will be a small-scale tournament, with 10 sports spread over 11 days. That is the smallest tournament in 30 years.

Athletics and swimming are two of the confirmed events but the rest still needs to be confirmed.

Health Minister Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government has carried out a thorough assessment of Commonwealth Games Scotland’s proposal for Glasgow to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

“The assessment was carried out in conjunction with 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 completion of a strong event proposal that will help support a new future for the Commonwealth Games and create economic and sporting opportunities for Scotland.

“On that basis, I have today written to Commonwealth Games Scotland to let them know that the Scottish Government will be supporting the proposal.

“Glasgow will deliver a world-class sporting event that will reshape the Commonwealth Games for future future generations and to support more Commonwealth partners to host future editions of the event.

“In return, this proposal will deliver economic benefits to businesses in Glasgow and Scotland and support a programme of capital enhancements to a number of existing sites in Glasgow to create an additional legacy for public sports facilities and local communities.

“The proposal will also ensure we maintain the great importance of the Commonwealth Games to Scotland sport.

“The Games allow our athletes to compete under their national flag, which for some is the pinnacle of the sport. Scottish sports Governing bodies have a significant influence on how Scottish performance funding is distributed.

“Glasgow 2014 was a catalyst for success for many Scottish athletes, including those who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; 25 of the 34 Scots on Team GB have competed for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, including six of the nine medal winners.

“This reinvented model will help shape future Games and enable the Commonwealth Games Federation to encourage hosts for 2030 and beyond.

“No government funding from the Scottish Government is required for the delivery of the event and the Scottish Government will not provide any financial guarantees.

“This has been clearly communicated in my letter to Commonwealth Games Scotland and will be included in the final legal documentation.

Glasgow 2014 legacy

The heart of the matter

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games took place in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 3 August 2014. It was the 20th edition of the Commonwealth Games, a multi-sport event in which athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations participate.

Key highlights

1. Host city: Glasgow, Scotland
2. Data: July 23 – August 3, 2014
3. Participating countries: 71
4. Athletes: About 4,950
5. Sport: 18 sports and 261 medal events
6. Locations: 13 venues including the iconic Hampden Park and the newly built Emirates Arena

Notable events

• Opening Ceremony: The ceremony was held at Celtic Park and featured performances celebrating Scottish culture and heritage. Queen Elizabeth II was in attendance, who officially opened the Games.
• Closing Ceremony:The closing ceremony took place at Hampden Park and included a handover to Gold Coast, Australia, the host city for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Sports included

The 2014 Games featured a mix of basic and optional sports, including:

• Athletics
• Badminton
• Boxing
• Cycling (track, racing bike, mountain bike)
• To dive
• Gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic)
• Hockey
• Judo
• Lawn bowls
• Netball
• Rugby Sevens
• To shoot
• Squash
• Swimming
• Table tennis
• Triathlon
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling

Legacy and impact

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games were widely praised for their organisation, enthusiastic crowds and the legacy they left behind. Several infrastructure projects were completed in the run-up to the Games, including the Emirates Arena and the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.

The Games also focused on sustainability and community engagement, with numerous programmes initiated to ensure long-term benefits for the city and its residents. The event strengthened Glasgow’s reputation as a capable host for international sporting events and brought significant economic and social benefits to the region.

Medal table

England topped the medal table, followed by Australia and Canada. Scotland, the host nation, achieved their best ever performance, finishing fourth.

“The Commonwealth Games Federation will cover the majority of the costs through money stuck in a compensation negotiations with the Victorian Government after they withdrew as host country in July 2023.

“The Commonwealth Games Federation has provided a further £20 million of funding to support the delivery of the event and the necessary contingency. This includes a £5 million investment for Glasgow City Council, which can be used for capital enhancements and a cultural programme.

“The UK Government has agreed to make available a contingency fund of up to £2.3 million to be called upon if existing budget and contingency funds are exceeded and all efforts to reduce costs have been exhausted.

“An extra million pound An investment has also been accepted to support the Games.

“The additional funding and investment agreed since negotiations began amounts to over £24 million. That funding is supplemented by commercial revenue from ticketing, sponsorship, hospitality and merchandising.

“The Commonwealth Games Scotland Board will now make a formal decision on whether to proceed.

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“If it decides to go ahead, it will seek approval from the Commonwealth Games Federation to host the event and make the final decision.” work with partners to ratify an agreement for Scotland to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”

Commonwealth Games Scotland said: “Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) has received support from the Scottish and UK governments.
governments for the proposed plan to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“In April, CGS unveiled details of an innovative, cost-effective and sustainable concept for the Games, which would deliver a smaller scale, high-quality Games without the need for government funding and using existing city facilities.

Since then, CGS has developed further plans with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and other stakeholders – including the Scottish and UK governments – to
ensure that the high level of competition of the Commonwealth Games can be achieved within the established budget.”

Ian Reid CBE, Chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said: “Today, Glasgow 2026 is one step closer to becoming a reality and we are pleased that both the Scottish and UK Governments have supported our proposal.

“We have been clear from the outset that our concept for the Glasgow 2026 Games is in line with the CGF’s strategy to make the Games more accessible to future hosts, while ensuring that no public funds are required.

“Glasgow is one of the few cities in the Commonwealth that can deliver on time, given its world-class facilities, experienced
workforce and a strong supply chain.

“This is a very exciting opportunity and we will be working hard in the coming days to put the final pieces of the puzzle in place.

“I would like to thank both the Commonwealth Games Federation and Commonwealth Games Australia for their confidence and financial contributions to the project, which ensured that the Games could go ahead without the need for government funding and provided a significant economic boost to the city from Glasgow and to Scotland.”

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