‘No agreement’: 2026 Commonwealth Games saviour Glasgow’s wait continues
The anxious search for a 2026 Commonwealth Games host isn’t ending soon, despite shock reports a nation had secured the job.
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Despite a glimmer of hope, the nervous wait for a critical host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games is set to drag out further, it can be revealed.
The sports world breathed a collective sigh of relief this week as the Scottish city of Glasgow reportedly “reached an agreement” to host the games during the final day of the Paris Olympics.
However, a source privy to the decision-making process told news.com.au that “no agreement” has been reached, and no announcement is imminent.
The 2026 Games have been without a host since 2023, when Victoria suddenly withdrew from hosting duties, a decision that sent shockwaves through the sporting world.
Victoria had originally stepped in to save the Games when it agreed to host them as a regional affair.
But the future of the 2026 Commonwealth Games seemed bleak after the Victorian government’s unexpected and controversial pullout in July 2023.
Premier Dan Andrews announced that Victoria would no longer host the Games due to spiralling budget costs, leaving the event’s fate in limbo.
The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) was left scrambling to find a new host.
On Monday, it appeared a saviour had emerged as veteran Olympics journalist Duncan Mackay reported that Glasgow was set to become the new host for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
“Some good news for the Commonwealth Games, I am hearing. Multiple people have told me during the (2024 Paris Olympics) that (CGF) have reached an agreement with Scotland for Glasgow to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games,” he tweeted.
Mackay claimed an official announcement could be made as early as this week as the global sporting community catches its breath following the excitement of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Discussions with Glasgow, which hosted the 20214 Games, have reportedly been ongoing for several months, and Ian Reid, the chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, confirmed that there is renewed hope that the Games may be saved.
“We are continuing to work away on it – I think there is an opportunity,” he told BBC Radio Scotland recently.
“I am not part of the decision-making process – I am on the other side of the table. But, at the same time, I am really positive that we’ve got a really interesting proposition and something few others could deliver given the venues, the people and experience we have got.”
During the July 25 interview, Reid said he expected administrators to make a decision in “two to three weeks”.
The 2014 event in Glasgow was a boon for Scottish athletes, with the hosts landing 53 medals — their highest ever tally and a whopping estimated 96 per cent of event tickets were sold.
Despite the optimism, the CGF’s efforts to secure a new host for the 2026 Games have been fraught with challenges.
The federation initially aimed to announce the new host by May 2023, but that deadline passed without any confirmation, fuelling further doubts about the event’s future.
In Australia, the Gold Coast made an early bid to host the Games after Victoria’s withdrawal, having previously hosted a successful event in 2018.
However, the bid lacked support from higher levels of government, and by December 2023, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate officially withdrew the city’s $700 million bid.
Tate had hoped a “streamlined” Games, co-hosted with Perth, could “save Australia’s tarnished reputation” and inject billions into the national economy.
Some leaders in New Zealand also briefly entertained stepping in as a host.
Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity after Victoria backed out, suggesting that New Zealand could take on the event in 2026 instead of waiting until 2034. However, like the Gold Coast, Christchurch’s bid failed to gain the necessary governmental support to move forward.
The CGF also approached Malaysia to host the 2026 Games, offering £100 million (AUD $193 million) in supporting funds. However, this proposal was ultimately rejected, adding to the growing list of setbacks for the event.
The Commonwealth Games have increasingly needed help finding willing hosts in recent years.
Five of the last six editions have been held in Australia or Britain, as other nations shy away from the financial burden of hosting.
Birmingham, England, stepped in to host the 2022 Games after South Africa lost its hosting rights due to insufficient progress in preparations. Birmingham’s decision to host in 2022 led to a frantic search for a 2026 host, ultimately resulting in the Victorian saga.
Originally published as ‘No agreement’: 2026 Commonwealth Games saviour Glasgow’s wait continues
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