Glasgow to host 2026 Commonwealth Games after rescue deal agreed

Scottish government accepts scaled-down version of event after ‘multimillion-pound’ Australian offer

The Scottish government has agreed a rescue deal for a scaled-down version of the 2026 Commonwealth Games to be hosted by Glasgow, after Australian authorities offered a “multimillion-pound commitment” to save the event.

The Australian state of Victoria abruptly withdrew as host of the 2026 Games in July 2023, blaming escalating costs. Since then, speculation has grown about whether Glasgow could build on its successful hosting of the event in 2014, amid concerns from the Scottish and UK governments about financing the event.

Last Friday, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) offered Scotland almost $A200m (£100m) from the Victorian government’s $A380m owed compensation for pulling out of hosting the event. The announcement was made after a meeting of the Scottish cabinet on Tuesday morning, and after Scotland’s health secretary, Neil Gray, met representatives of Commonwealth Games Australia and Commonwealth Games Scotland on Monday. The decision remains subject to formal approval from Commonwealth Games Scotland and the CGF.

Gray said: “I have written to the Commonwealth Games Scotland today to inform them that the Scottish government will give its support for the proposal. Glasgow will deliver a world-class sporting event, which will reimagine the Commonwealth Games for future generations to come and support more of our Commonwealth partners to be able to host future iterations of the event. In return, this proposal will bring economic benefit to businesses in Glasgow and Scotland and support a programme of capital upgrades to a number of existing venues in Glasgow to create an additional legacy for public sports facilities and local communities.”

Ian Reid, the chair of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said he welcomed the Scottish and UK governments’ backing for their proposal.
“We have been clear from the outset that our Games concept for Glasgow 2026 aligns with the CGF’s strategy to make the Games more accessible for future hosts, whilst ensuring that public funds are not required.”

Reid said Glasgow was “one of the few cities in the Commonwealth that can deliver on time given its world-class facilities, experienced workforce and strong supply chain. This is a really exciting opportunity and we will be working hard over the coming days to bring the final pieces of the puzzle together,” he said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland before a meeting with Commonwealth Games Australia on Monday morning, Gray said it was “critically important” to make sure there was no financial risk to the government.
Another concern was critical comparison with 2014, said Gray. “The government’s worry has always been that this is going to be a comparison with the incredibly successful 2014 Games, which – both in terms of the performances, the spectacle that it was for the city and the legacy that there has been – were going to be hard to match.”

He said he did not want Scotland to be “taking a step back from Glasgow’s incredible reputation for hosting international events”.
The proposed event would very different to the 2014 spectacular, which captivated the city in the run-up to the independence referendum, and included lavish opening and closing ceremonies at Glasgow’s key stadiums. The 2026 model would feature fewer sports – between 10 and 13 compared with 18 in 2014 – across fewer sites.

The CGF president, Chris Jenkins, who welcomed Australia’s investment pledge, suggested on Sunday that this slimmed-down version could be “a new Games model” to encourage more countries to consider hosting in future.
“In utilising existing sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, and world-class venues and expertise, the compact concept would not only build on the legacy of Glasgow 2014 but would position Scotland as pioneers at the start of our journey.”
He also underlined that the Games would not require financial outlay by either the Scottish or UK governments.

The CGF has put £100m towards funding the Glasgow 2026 Games concept, while the Australian Commonwealth Games association has added an offer of assistance from its own funds, thought to be about £2.3m.
Libby Brooks Guardian Scotland correspondent