Who could rescue the 2026 Commonwealth Games?

When Victoria stepped in and secured a regional Commonwealth Games for 2026, it pitched itself as the saviour that rescued the Games no one else wanted.

That was sort of true. Victoria had sensed an opportunity coming out of COVID-19 for a big cash injection project, and jumped in with a pitch to be the exclusive bidder when others, including states such as New South Wales, had some interest.

The MCG lit up with fireworks at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.Credit: Penny Stephens

But still, like the Games themselves – where Australia wins a lot – the competition was far from strong. Victoria won.

If no one else was desperately interested then, what are the chances that organisers will find anyone else now, 18 months later and less than three years from when the Games are due to start?

There are no obvious alternatives.

South Australia, which had been interested and has lately made bold pitches for a range of sporting events, is now out.

Queensland is hosting the 2032 Olympics, so it would be a stretch to squeeze in a full Commonwealth Games before then and just eight years after previously hosting the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Tasmania couldn’t do it, so that leaves NSW and Western Australia. Perth’s mayor, known in the eastern states for being an AFL TV commentator, Basil Zempilas, said his city should be interested. But they are not. He is the mayor, not the premier, and the government has said no. Well, at least for now, there might be a chance to revisit that.

The NSW government, too, has quickly shut down the knee-jerk push for Sydney to take on the Games.

But if not Australia, then where?

Birmingham stepped in late to host the last Games after the Commonwealth Games Federation pulled them from Durban following disputes with South African organisers.

Australian netballers Gretel Bueta and Liz Watson celebrate gold in the final at Birmingham.Credit: Getty Images

Glasgow also hosted in 2014, so while it is doubtful the Games would quickly return to the UK the country’s first minister Humza Yousaf said he was attracted to the idea and his government would seriously look at it.

It is underappreciated here the degree of enthusiasm for the Games among the home nations of Great Britain for the chance it offers to compete - and barrack - internationally under the flag of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. The English too, while Team GB is broadly seen as England the English like to compete under the St George’s Cross flag.

Canada has already declared interest in a bid for the 2030 games to coincide with the centenary of the inaugural British Empire Games in Hamilton, Ontario.

The Canadians at one stage toyed with the idea of the 2026 Games before settling on the 100-year anniversary in 2030. In February it was decided it would be a Canada-wide or Ontario bid, rather than just in titchy Hamilton. Regardless, the centenary remains the key. Besides, the governments there also realised that in 2026 key venues will be needed for FIFA World Cup matches, which will be staged in the US, Mexico and Canada in 2026. It is unlikely that Canada will agree to shift the schedule forward.

New Zealand has expressed interest in a similar countrywide or multi-city bid for the 2034 Games. Changes by the Comm Games Federation, and ignored by Victoria, encourage smaller scale events.

Smaller countries in Africa, Asia or the Caribbean can be ruled out, and Delhi barely got Games venues ready with seven years’ notice in 2010, so India would be a no.

Commonwealth Games rules only stipulate that bidders must include athletics and swimming. Beyond that, which sports are staged and how many, is negotiated with the organisers.

Under Commonwealth Games Federation rules, there also is scope for individual sports to host their own championships away from the Games. So, when shooting, for instance, was not included in the program, a separate shooting Commonwealth Championships was staged away from the host city.

Regardless of initial government comments ruling various places out for 2026, the opportunity remains for organisers to go back to a few states to negotiate once the Victorian contract is cancelled.

Given that south-east Queensland and western Sydney have existing athletics tracks and pools, they would be the obvious options for a scaled-down event featuring only a handful of sports. Sydney’s Homebush track would need temporary stands but that cost would not be much and there are facilities for a range of smaller sports from gymnastics and weightlifting to bowls and triathlon in the precinct.

Queensland might be unlikely to take on another event, even a smaller scale one, given the degree of building already going on there ahead of 2032 but the infrastructure largely exists for a very pared back Games.

The most tantalising local option still is in WA where despite the government immediately kyboshing suggestions of taking over the games the idea of a smaller scale carnival in Perth will be revisited by organisers.

Athletes could be housed in Curtin University dorm accommodation - as they were in Birmingham - during end of year break in November without the need for a new major athletes village. They already have an elite velodrome for cycling, have hosted a world swimming championships and it is the hockey state. Optus Stadium would be filled for athletics once is dropped in post-AFL season.

It would not be a Commonwealth Games as we know it, but what was proposed and scuppered was not a Commonwealth Games as we knew it, either. The Games will never again be a mini-Olympics in the style of Melbourne 2006 but that change was already upon us.

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