Commonwealth Games: Glasgow could host 2026 event after being named as last resort option

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said it was “considering multiple proposals”, including a scaled-down version hosted in Glasgow. This comes after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as the host of the games in July because of rising costs.

Since then, both Singapore and Malaysia ruled out separate bids to host the Games.

Last month Malaysia rejected the offer to step in and host the 2026 games despite being offered £100 million from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) as supporting funds. The country’s sports ministry claimed it could not cover the overall costs of staging the event.

Should any other fresh bids from outside the UK not prove viable, the last resort option is a scaled-back version of the Games in Glasgow. The back-up proposal would include scaling back the number of sports competed in at the games from 20 to between ten and 13.

When Glasgow last hosted the Games in 2014, 18 events were contested.

A number of the facilities used in the Glasgow 2014 Games, such as the Emirates Arena, could be used again in 2026. However, in 2014 the athletics competition was held in a converted Hampden Park. It is understood that is not an option for the 2026 proposal.

Birmingham hosted the previous Commonwealth Games in 2022, costing around £780 million, including £180m from the city council and local partners.

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A record 1.5 million tickets were sold for the event, but a former adviser to Birmingham City Council said hosting the event was a mistake. Since hosting the Games, the council has been forced to raise council tax by 21 per cent after declaring itself effectively bankrupt.

However, if Glasgow hosts the 2026 version it is expected no public spending would go towards the games, with the £130m-£150m budget covered by the Commonwealth Games Federation and commercial income.

Confirmation of Glasgow’s offer is expected in the coming days. A final decision is expected by the end of May.

Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) had commissioned a feasibility study in December after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out last summer.

Under the proposals, existing sports facilities would be used instead of the creation of purpose-built arenas, and athletes would be housed in local hotels rather than an athletes’ village.

Ian Reid, the chair of CGS, said: “We know how important the Commonwealth Games is for athletes, sports and supporters, and we remain concerned about the impact the ongoing uncertainty around 2026 is having on everyone concerned.

“It is vital that a Games takes place in this cycle, and we are hopeful that a positive outcome can be delivered through the CGF’s discussions with other nations.

“We also wanted to ensure that we had left no stone unturned in the search for solutions, should a viable alternative fail to materialise, but recognised the need for a model that did not rely on large public investment.”

Mr Reid added: “We believe our concept provides the CGF with a viable, cost-effective and exciting solution, which importantly won’t involve significant sums of public funding.”