Australia Commonwealth Games 2026: Reaction as Victoria cancels hosting due to financial stress
The Victorian Government has been savaged over its call to cancel the 2026 Commonwealth Games - with the reasons given not satisfying a number of Australia’s biggest sporting bodies.
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Commonwealth Games Australia remains hopeful of reviving Victoria’s cancelled 2026 event on home shores as chief executive Craig Phillips slammed the state government’s handling of the regional Games’ cancellation as “absolutely embarrassing”.
As he declared he had “full faith” in the future of the Commonwealth Games, Phillips said he would work with the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) to try and find another host in Australia to save the event in two years’ time.
Phillips revealed he had only learned of the Victorian government’s plans to withdraw from hosting the 2026 Games - based on a multi-city regional hosting model - early on Tuesday morning, just hours ahead of its announcement.
The CGA chief slammed the government’s stated cost blowout as a “gross exaggeration” and “not reflective” of the operational costs which had been presented to the organising committee board as recently as June.
While still absorbing the shock news, Phillips said the CGA would turn its attention to trying to find a new host in Australia.
But he acknowledged the decision, which he said threatened Melbourne and Victoria’s “standing as the sporting capital of the world”, could make other cities more hesitant to host.
Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas made his pitch for the West Australian capital to host the Games, while other states have already ruled themselves out.
Phillips remained hopeful the event could stay on Australian soil.
“We now obviously have to find ourselves a host. We will work with the CGF on whether that could be here in Australia,” Phillips said on Tuesday.
“Certainly interested in talking to any state that may have an appetite for hosting the Games.
“But certainly we will be doing all we can to make sure that the numbers produced today by the Victorian government are not taken on face value, it’s certainly not a strong indication of what the Games would cost.
“There are great cities across Australia and many have the capability and the facilities already to host the Games, we know that.
We would certainly be willing to talk to any state government or any city that has ambitions to host the Games.
“We love the Games coming back to Australia, we know Australians love the Games, so certainly those discussions are there for us to have.”
Despite Victoria’s decision coming as a major blow to the international event, which was last held in Australia in 2018 on the Gold Coast, Phillips was confident the cost of hosting the Commonwealth Games remained viable.
And he was certain the event still had a strong future.
“I think certainly paying attention to the legacy value of the Games is important, as we did with these Games,” Phillips said.
“We have great faith in the future of the Games, we already have Canada well and truly engaged around hosting in 2030 and we know that New Zealanders are looking at 2034.
“But this announcement today by the government and the cavalier way that it was made really does make it challenging to continue conversations when you see the numbers that were thrown out which just beggar belief.
“It will probably have an impact (on other cities wanting to host), I would have to be honest with that. I think it will, but we have to manage the messaging and when we are engaging with governments and actually do see what the real cost of the Games are and not some inflated numbers.
“So we know there is strong interest in the Games and a strong love of the Games here in Australia. We will reset after this and move on and look to see whether we can continue to be the host nation in 2026.”
Phillips said the CGA had been involved in discussions around ways to reduce costs for the Games and had pushed for existing infrastructure in Melbourne to be utilised - such as the purpose-built velodrome at John Cain Arena - but the government “remained wedded to proceeding with expensive temporary venues” in regional Victoria.
He said the state’s handling was “absolutely embarrassing” for it on the world stage.
“Even the most recent figures on a survey that is done globally about sporting cites, Melbourne had already slipped from 10th to 23, I can’t see it going north after today’s announcement,” Phillips said.
“I would be very careful if I was an international sporting body coming and doing business in this state in the future.
“For a state that prides itself on being the sporting capital of the world, I’m not sure this is a great look.”
Phillips said up to 440 Australian athletes were expected to compete at the 2026 Games, but that number could slip if the event was forced overshore.
“If they do go overseas we don’t get some of those host-nation qualification rights so our athletes have to earn those sports particularly for things like team sports,” he said.
“So there is the potential it could reduce our numbers, not significantly.
“Certainly for athletes that are preparing for the Games, they would be very disappointed.
“Particularly our own athletes who are preparing for a Games there at home.
“We know also that many of the athletes who will compete for Australia in 2026 will also go onto future careers, including 2032 in Brisbane for the Olympics and Paralympic Games.
“So for those athletes we feel very disappointed, but we feel very disappointed for the athletes of the Commonwealth, who were looking forward to coming here to Australia.
“Australia, until now, has had a great reputation for hosting great Games, but we know they will be let down today by the government’s decision.”
SPORTING BODIES TURN ON VIC GOVT OVER FARCE
By Emily Benammar and Joe Barton
Victoria’s decision to abandon plans to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games have been lambasted both at home and abroad.
Sporting bodies from around the country have joined the chorus of condemnation, alongside many of Australia’s past athletes, while around the globe the shock call was met with shock and disappointment.
3.30PM: HAS AUSTRALIA’S SPORTING CAPITAL CHANGED?
Melbourne has long laid claim to being Ausralia’s sporting capital, with the Australian Open and Formula One just two of the major events that take place in Victoria each year.
But has Tuesday’s news shaken that reputation? Or does Melbourne still own the title?
2.30PM: CYCLISTS RAGE AT LOST GAMES
AusCycling have become the latest Australian sporting body to slam the Victorian Government, with CEO Marne Fechner highlighting the inability to pivot to working model as the chief reason behind their disappointment.
“Today’s announcement that Victoria will not host the 2026 Commonwealth Games is an extremely disappointing outcome for our athletes, coaches, sport and for those who have been working tirelessly to deliver the Games,” Fechner said.
“We acknowledge the difficult economic environment. However, the decision to withdraw, rather than adapt the delivery model, represents a missed opportunity to showcase our amazing athletes and inspire the next generation of cyclists and riders across Victoria and Australia.
“We welcome the Government’s commitment to funding regional housing and to investing further in sporting communities and events in regional Victoria.”
2.00PM: ‘DISSAPPOINTED’ NETBALL RESPECT VIC DECISION
Netball Australia chief executive Kelly Ryan said the sport had a fantastic relationship with the Victorian Government, which stepped in following the collapse of the Hancock Prospecting deal last year with a $15 million sponsorship through Visit Victoria.
“Whilst we are disappointed our athletes won’t have the opportunity to showcase their skills in Victoria as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, we understand and respect the decision made by the Victorian Government today,” Ryan said.
“Netball is a proud Commonwealth Games sport and our Australian Origin Diamonds love every opportunity they get to play in front of a home crowd.
“We will continue to work closely with Commonwealth Games Australia as they explore suitable alternatives for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.”
While she did not address the sponsorship directly, Ryan said NA would continue to work with Visit Victoria to further promote the sport.
“We are pleased to hear the Victorian Government remains committed to improving regional participation outcomes for regional Victorians and regional sporting upgrades, including Bendigo Stadium,” Ryan said.
“The focus for our Origin Australian Diamonds is fully on the upcoming 2023 Netball World Cup.”
1.30PM: DEFENDING CHAMPION CRICKETERS LAMENT NEWS
By Emma Greenwood
Former Australian cricket vice-captain Rachael Haynes, who helped the Aussies to gold in Birmingham, said the sport had only just entered the multi-sport arena and it was a massive blow to lose the opportunity to play in Victoria.
“It was such an amazing event in the UK,” Haynes said.
“That was the thing that really struck me was just how much the community got behind it and what it did for the growth of cricket.
“If you look now 12 months down the track, we’ve got a whole Ashes series sold out in the white ball component for the women and that’s built off the momentum of events like the Commonwealth Games where different people are coming to watch the sport.
“I was really surprised to hear that news this morning and also sad to think that perhaps new people aren’t going to get exposed to cricket but more broadly, the athletes aren’t going to be able to participate in that event potentially.”
Haynes hopes the Games can continue as an event and that another Australian venue steps up to host.
“If you think about some of the sports that don’t necessarily have the same broadcast revenue that gets brought in, the same level of sponsorship, this is a huge moment for them to potentially pick up a new sponsor or get the public to get to know a new type of personality in Australian sport around the world.
“I’m really devastated for those sports and a bit concerned about what’s next for them if this is taken away.”
1.10PM: AOC MAKES DISAPPOINTMENT CLEAR
The Australian Olympic Committee says it is disappointed by Victoria’s decision to scrap the Commonwealth Games and the impact it will have on athletes who were already preparing.
“The AOC shares many sports with Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA). Clearly this is a blow to their ambitions for their athletes — and to promote participation in their sports and inspire future generations,” AOC chief Matt Carroll said.
“The AOC will not comment on the Victorian Games model, cost of the Commonwealth Games themselves and what was proposed in infrastructure spending — they are matters for the Victorian Government and CGA.
“The Olympic Games financial model is significantly different to the Commonwealth Games, given the substantial investment by the IOC towards Games’ costs. Equally, the IOC’s New Norm approach seeks to reduce spending through the use of existing infrastructure wherever possible.
“Brisbane 2032 remains a shining beacon on the sporting horizon, providing inspiration for athletes, sports and the broader community.”
12.50PM: VICTORIA ACCUSED OF ROBBING ATHLETES OF DREAM
Tom Boswell
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Glynis Nunn says the Victorian government has taken a dream away from young athletes by pulling the pin on the 2026 event but believes the Gold Coast shouldn’t look to pick up the pieces.
“They have basically taken a dream away from young kids hoping to compete in front of their country before the (Brisbane) Olympic and Paralympic Games (in 2032),” Nunn said.
“It is rare you get to see the Commonwealth, Paralympics of Olympics in your home country and Australia has a great history of that. Now (Victorian premier Dan Andrews) has blown that all up which is disappointing.”
Nunn, who won gold in the heptathlon at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games, hoped someone would take on the event but believed the Gold Coast should avoid taking it on due to the cost.
“You would need to have the money to put down an athletics track, rip it up, put in the additional seating in the main stadium at Carrara,” She said.
“I don’t think you would go for it. We need to look at doing the Olympics and Paralympics well.”
12PM: AUSTRALIA ‘EMBARRASED’ BY COMM GAMES SHAMBLES
Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney believes the Commonwealth Games faces a challenging future – and Australia should be embarrassed over the farcical cancellation of the 2023 Games in Victoria.
Speaking on 3AW Radio, McAvaney expressed his shock and disappointment at Tuesday’s announcement and admitted he feared for the future of the event.
“It’s a big shock. I didn’t see it coming,” McAvaney said.
“This is a huge challenge now for its future, and from Australia’s point of view and Victoria’s point of view… for it to be so late … it is an embarrassment.”
It is the second time in a row that the Games host has withdrawn over financial concerns, with Birmingham forced to step in at the last minute to host the 2022 version after South Africa’s Durban pulled out.
“The Games have been challenged – I still believe they play an important role and if you go to them they are incredibly exciting,” McAvaney added.
“The big problem is not many cities want to host them. It’s basically down to Australia, Great Britain.”
11.45AM: RUGBY FEARS POACHING RAID
By Jamie Pandaram
Australian men’s rugby sevens coach, John Manenti, said the news is bitterly disappointing for the players, and worries that it may lead to more women in the program being poached by NRLW and AFLW.
“Hopefully there’ll be some resolution, and something will be done somewhere at some point somewhere else, but you can see they’re becoming big financial burdens for states and governments to run,” said Manenti, who coached Australia’s women’s team to a silver medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Comm Games before taking over the men’s program last year.
“I’m really disappointed, everyone loves going to those events, but I don’t know it will change our world too much, except that it was another little carrot to dangle to someone to try to get them to come across.
“It more so affects the girls, because we’ve been in this tough environment for quite a while, whereas the girls are starting to get competition from NRL and AFL in the Ws, that could potentially start to take something away from them.
“And obviously, Commonwealth Games comes around and there’s Commonwealth funding to do things, development programs, but it’s hard to be critical of their thought process, it’s just a little bit late in the piece to be making the decision now.
“Everyone wants to play at home. We get one opportunity a year normally to play at home, last time we played at Comm Games on the Gold Coast and the crowds were unbelievable.
“The athletes would be bitterly disappointed they don’t get to play in front of family and friends, and Commonwealth Games are a real pathway to the Olympics, you try to map a group together two years out and get yourself ready for the Olympics.
“For a lot of athletes, not just in rugby, it’s a real pinnacle, the second most important event in their calendar; Olympics and Comm Games.”
11.30AM: COMM GAMES FEDERATION RAGES OVER CANCELLATION
The Commonwealth Games Federation has publicly lambasted the Victorian Government over its shock decision to pull out of the 2026 Games.
In a statement released after Premier Daniel Andrews press conference, a ‘hugely disappointed’ CGF criticised the Government for a lack of communication about the decision.
“We are disappointed that we were only given eight hours’ notice and that no consideration was given to discussing the situation to jointly find solutions prior to this decision being reached by the Government,” the statement read.
“Up until this point, the Government had advised that sufficient funding was available to deliver the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.”
11.15AM: HOCKEY BOSS WEIGHS IN
Hockey Australia chief executive David Pryles said the news was “incredibly disappointing for the athletes and the sport”.
“Very rarely do we get an opportunity to host major sporting events within the Olympic and Commonwealth Games family and it’s an opportunity for our athletes to compete in front of family and friends when, the majority of the year, they’re competing overseas,” Pryles told Code Sports.
“Sitting here as CEO of Hockey Australia, our Kookaburras have won seven gold medals in a row and our Hockeyroos have obviously got a proud record as well, so any opportunity to showcase them, we want to do it, especially in Australia.”
Amid concerns the Andrrews Government’s decision to scrap hosting could be the death knell for the Games, Pryles was hopeful a saviour would emerge.
“I think it’s an opportunity for other states to look at it. I look at NSW who, at Sydney Olympic Park, have all the facilities ready to go,” he said.
11.00AM: PERTH WILLING TO STEP IN?
Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas has thrown his support behind a bid for the West Australian capital to take over the 2026 Games.
Saying Perth was in ‘the driver’s seat’ in terms of negotiations, Zempilas laid out his vision for how the 2026 event could come together – before posting a link to the City of Perth’s budget report, released on Monday.
“Not often you get a second chance like this @CityofPerth,” Zempilas posted on Twitter.
“Here’s how it should work - we tell the (Commonwealth Games) how much we will pay.
“We tell them “here are our venues” you make YOUR games fit around what we have.
“Perth is in the driver’s seat they need us.
“And a big chunk of what we do spend we spend on building the athletes villages - which the day after the games finish become social and affordable housing for 8000 West Australians.
“We get the event. At the right price. And social housing for 8000 by 2026. Let’s do it.”
COMMONWEALTH GAMES…
— Basil Zempilas (@BasilZempilas) July 18, 2023
Not often you get a second chance like this @CityofPerth
Here’s how it should work - we tell the @thecgf how much we will pay.
We tell them “here are our venues†you make YOUR games fit around what we have.
Perth is in the driver’s seat they need us.
10.45AM: ‘LOST FOR WORDS’: COOK REACTS TO ‘DEVASTATING’ NEWS
Australia’s Olympic beach volleyball champion Natalie Cook has spoken of her devastation after it was confirmed Victoria had cancelled its contract to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Just moments after Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announced that a budget deficit of almost $4 billion was the reason he reneged on the deal, Cook lamented the blow it represented to current and aspiring athletes.
“It’s not often I’m lost for words, but when you hear news like that it’s devastating,” Cook told the Herald Sun at the Women in Sport Summit on the Gold Coast.
“It’s a huge blow to our athletes and the green and gold runway that we had set up going into Brisbane 2032.
“We were so nicely placed for our multi sport athletes and set to show Australia the best of what we have on home soil. Now there’s a hole in the road.
“For Comm Games sports like netball, esports and bowls, this is devastating.”
10.30AM: MONEY MATTERS: WHY VICTORIA PULLED THE PIN
US sprint champion Michael Johnson led the international reaction with a shocked statement on Twitter.
Wow! Just 3 years out. I wonder if it’ll go back to Birmingham. https://t.co/ee0RhEGBM3
— Michael Johnson (@MJGold) July 17, 2023
Andrews blamed a higher-than-forecast cost for the sudden cancellation.
Flanked by Deputy Premier and Commonwealth Games Delivery Minister Jacinta Allan, and Commonwealth Games Legacy Minister Harriet Shing, Mr Andrews said it would now cost $6bn to host the event.
Initially $2.6bn had been pledged.
The Commonwealth Games is the biggest major international competition that features athletes with a disability alongside able-bodied athletes. A great opportunity to raise awareness for disabled sport. Seeing the Games cancelled will suck for the state of inclusion
— Rowan Crothers OAM 🧲🧠(@magnetbrain) July 17, 2023
Cook is hopeful that the loss to Victorians will become another state’s gain to ensure the best of Australia can be seen in person by millions.
“We’ve had the women’s basketball World Cup, the Matildas are about to get started, then the rugby and the Comm Games presented the perfect halfway point to see where we’re at leading into Brisbane and ensure the best delivery,” Cook said
“Hopefully someone else in Australia can pick it up, this is a huge hiccup for so many.”
Commonwealth Games swimming gold medallist James Magnussen said the decision was a bitter blow to athletes.
“Extremely disappointing as an athlete. The Comm Games holds a special place on the Australian sporting calendar,” Magnussen said.
“A home Games inspires a whole new generation of athletes and is one of the few recruitment tools a sport like swimming has.
“It is also a let down to rural athletes and coaches in Victoria who were set to benefit from new and/or upgraded facilities.”
Former Australian tennis star, and Victorian Shadow Minister for Tourism, Sport and Events, Sam Groth described the decision as ‘embarrassing’.
“The Premier, Deputy Premier and the Andrews Labor government has failed regional Victoria,” Groth said.
“It’s an embarrassment and is hugely damaging to our international reputation as a global events leader. Labor cannot be believed any longer as it continues to break its promises.”
QUEENSLAND SAYS NO
With so much infrastructure already in place from the Gold Coast Games in 2018 as well as preparations for the 2032 Olympics, Queensland loomed as an option to step in - but that qas quickly shut down.
Speaking at the women in Sports summit on the Gold Coast less than 30 minutes after Daniel andrews announced the cancellation of the 2026 Victoria Games, Annastacia Palaszczuk said that despite the infrastructure in QLD, salvaging the event was not an option with all focus and finance firmly committed to the 2032 Olympics.
“No this doesn’t (impact our plans),” she said when asked if QD could suffer a similar budget issue.
“My understanding is the Vic government planned $2-3bn and it blew out to $6-7bn.
“We have an agreement with the Fed govt about the money that we need for key projects- which are legacy projects.
“The operation of theGames is budget neutral. In QLD our economic position is good.
“People have said to me ‘can we run them, the Commonwealth Games?’ Well no we can’t focused on the Olympics. Any extra money we have to put into social housing.
“The Comm Games committee needs to look around for locations that has infrastructure.”
Added Federal Sports Minister Annika Wells: “I’m disappointed for our athletes, coaches and volunteers who want the experience of representing their country on home soil.
“It’s disappointing they wont experience that. I understand the reasoning from the Premier, we’re all facing a cost of living crisis. I’m slightly comforted by the fact they will spend some of the money on legacy and infrastructure.
“I do not (feel responsible), Victoria agreed to host before we were involved and before we discussed what Federal funding might look like.”
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