Glasgow hosts Commonwealth Games after Victoria withdrawal
Glasgow is set to host the Commonwealth Games, with the opening ceremony scheduled for Thursday night. The city stepped in after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew from hosting the Games in July 2023, citing projected costs that soared to more than A$6 billion (£3.11bn). Victoria had initially agreed to stage the event in April 2022 after the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) faced difficulties in finding a host. The original estimated cost for Victoria was A$2.6bn (£1.35bn).
The decision by Victoria not only cast doubt on the 2026 edition but also on the future of the Games as a whole. However, in September 2024, a deal backed by the Scottish government was reached for Glasgow to host a “scaled back, but high-quality” event. This year’s Games will operate on a smaller scale compared to previous editions, with organisers confident that fans will still create a vibrant atmosphere for the 3,000 competitors.
The event will be staged across four venues located along an eight-mile stretch: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow International Arena, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). The budget for the 2014 Games was £543m, but for this 23rd edition, no public money has been spent, with the total cost being £150m. The CGF is contributing £100m, and the remaining funds will come from commercial revenue streams such as ticketing, sponsorship, broadcast rights, and merchandise.
Reduced scale and notable athletes
The OVO Hydro will host the opening and closing ceremonies. The opening ceremony will feature performances by headliner KT Tunstall, Callum Beattie, Nathan Evans, Tom Walker, and Saint Phnx. The event will be attended by athletes from 74 nations and territories, along with dignitaries including King Charles, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, and the First Minister of Wales Rhun ap Iorwerth. Some of the 4,000 Games volunteers, ranging in age from 16 to 96, will also participate in the celebration.
From Friday until 2 August, 215 gold medals will be contested, which is fewer than the 261 medals available when Scotland last hosted the Games. However, Glasgow 2026 will feature a record 47 para-sports events. The action begins with bowls and para-bowls heats at 09:30. The opening ceremony at the 13,000-capacity OVO Hydro still had adult tickets available on Wednesday, with prices ranging from £45 to £95. The ceremony will include live music, the parade of nations, and the arrival of all 74 Commonwealth batons. Six-time Olympic cycling champion Sir Chris Hoy is also expected to participate.
Only 500,000 tickets have been made available for these Games, which is less than half of the 1.2 million tickets for Glasgow 2014. Reports suggest ticket sales have been slower than anticipated, and public interest has been more subdued compared to the previous Games held in the city. Ticket prices vary, with adult tickets for bowls and para bowls starting from £10, while a Friday swimming session featuring three-time Olympic gold medallist Adam Peaty has a starting price. Members of Scotland’s Tartan Army supporters’ club were off
Among the notable athletes competing is Elaine Thompson-Herah of Jamaica, a five-time Olympic champion, who will aim to defend her titles won at Birmingham 2022. Other prominent athletes include Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, a double Olympic champion, and two-time world 200m champion Shericka Jackson from Jamaica. Scotland’s Eilish McColgan will seek to retain her Commonwealth title in the 10,000m, while Laura Muir, the reigning 1500m Commonwealth champion, will run the 5,000m.
In swimming, South Africa’s Chad Le Clos will return to Glasgow, where he won two golds in 2014, aiming to become the most decorated male in the history of the Games by adding to his current haul of 18 medals. Fellow Olympic champions competing at Tollcross include Mollie O’Callaghan of Australia, Adam Ramsay-Peaty of England, and Daniel Wiffen of Northern Ireland. Duncan Scott, Scotland’s most successful Olympian, hopes to increase his collection of 13 Commonwealth medals. Additionally, Archie Goodburn, who has terminal brain cancer, could achieve a podium finish in the 50m breaststroke.
The mile race returns to the Games for the first time since the 1966 edition in Kingston, Jamaica. This race, scheduled for 1 August, will replace the 1500m and feature a strong line-up. Josh Kerr, who recently broke the mile world record, is a favourite for the podium. He will face competition from 2022 world champion Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley. Australian track sensation Cameron Myers will also compete. In the women’s mile race, Scotland will be represented by Jemma Reekie.
Changes and ceremonial details
The decision to scale back the Games led to some adjustments in the final schedule. Hockey was dropped, despite a £5m national hockey centre being built for Glasgow 2014. The cycling programme will be confined to the track, excluding mountain biking and road races. In gymnastics, only artistic gymnastics will be included, with no rhythmic events. Bowls, previously held at Kelvingrove, will be staged indoors at the SEC. Badminton and squash were also removed, and there will be no diving competitions.
The baton relay has also seen changes. In 2014, the relay visited 70 Commonwealth nations and territories over 248 days, covering a distance of 190,000km (118,060 miles). This included a 40-day trip across Scotland involving 4,000 baton bearers. This time, each competing team received its own baton to decorate instead of transporting one across the Commonwealth. The Scottish leg of the relay began on 1 July when swimmer Duncan Scott sailed up the River Clyde on a power boat. Since then, the baton has travelled to communities, events, and festivals across the country’s 32 local authorities.
Scotland will be led into the opening ceremony by veteran lawn bowler Alex Marshall and double Commonwealth judo champion Sarah Adlington. Marshall, aged 59, is Scotland’s most decorated Commonwealth athlete with five gold medals and one silver. Adlington won gold on home soil in 2014 and at Birmingham 2022. England’s flag bearers will be lawn bowler Sian Honnor and swimmer Luke Greenbank. Greenbank won relay gold in 2022, while Honnor claimed Commonwealth titles in Glasgow and Birmingham. The Games will officially open during a ceremony at the Hydro later.
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Source: bbc.co.uk
