Glasgow opens 2026 Commonwealth Games in scaled-back edition

sportsJul 23, 202634371

Glasgow stepped in at short notice to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew, and opens a pared-back edition this week. Organisers are staging 10 of the 17 sports that featured in 2014, selling about 500,000 tickets compared with 1.5 million in 2014, and working to deliver the event on a budget of £150 million versus £550 million in 2014. Some of the funding includes compensation tied to Victoria’s exit after it had already spent A$589 million, about £300 million, on the bid. The opening ceremony and selected highlights will be shown on Channel 5 while Warner Bros Discovery holds event broadcast rights, and for the first time since 1954 the BBC will not show any of the events. Glasgow recovered venues and transport after a recent major fire disrupted the busiest city areas but locally many residents recall the success of 2014 and welcome the return; however merchandise sales and ticket uptake were slow a day before the start and most events were not sold out. The rescue follows a pattern seen in 2022 when Birmingham replaced Durban, and organisers say Glasgow’s offer was essential because without the city’s intervention there would have been no Games in 2026.

Pat G🇨🇦 🍁🏳️‍🌈🍉

@pguist.bsky.social

🇨🇦 Good luck, Team Canada! 💪 Best of luck to the 149 Canadian athletes competing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2. 🍁

14518h ago

MaggieFlynn2

Most Americans wish you well.

Davenant 📸

@marcdavenant.bsky.social

After touring continuously since 2023 the Outsiders exhibition comes to a close in Glasgow this week. 13 venues, 130,000 visitors. It couldn’t have happened without your support marcdavenant.com/2026/07/21/o...

29Yesterday

Andy Aitchison1

An incredible achievement Marc! hats off to you for bringing this subject in front of so many people. It will have made some very important changes. 👏👏

Ewan 🎵✨🌳🏔️1

Heading there tomorrow and thoroughly looking forward to it.

Neil Miles

@neilsmiles.com

A very happy Commonwealth Games to all (two) of you who celebrate!

A teletext page commemorating the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh

153h ago

Simple Minds

@simplemindsmusic.bsky.social

Simple Minds are happy to announce they will headline the Closing Ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The event will take place on Sunday August 2 at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, marking the official end of the 11-day multi-sport event. Tickets: glasgow2026.tmtickets.co.uk/EDP/Event/In...

16Yesterday

Kim Marshall 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🇨🇦 🇲🇽 🇪🇺

@kimmarshall.bsky.social

R5L breakfast. Dame Laura Kenny president of the English Commonwealth Games: "we'd just been given it...it does still very much feel like a home games" Trust me. The Opening Ceremony is proudly Scottish. It is utterly Glasgow. It is very not English.

102h ago

Sam and King Lucy the 1st

@kinglucythe1st.bsky.social

I see that the Commonwealth Games are on TNT Sports so most of us can't watch. I am really unhappy about this. I enjoy the Commonwealth Games and was looking forward to watching.

121h ago

Lord Oma of somewhere1

I just took a look. It's crazy and IMO very bad for the long term growth of the event. Sport is eating itself. Short term financial gain, TNT are probably paying vast amounts, for the loss of kids seeing an event and wanting to take part or the sponsor who wants maximum exposure.

Lost in History, OBC 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺🇺🇦🇨🇦🇩🇰🇬🇱🇵🇦1

Cut down games and behind a payroll. I did enjoy it 12 years ago, went to the hockey. Hope it is as much a success as it can be though

Australian Labor

@australianlabor.bsky.social

💚💛Wishing our Commonwealth Games team the very best, and congratulations to Nina Kennedy and Tim Hodge on their selection as our flag and baton bearers! 🔥 #WeAreUNSTOPPABLE #CommGamesAUS #Glasgow2026

Australian Commonwealth Games team members Nina Kennedy and Tim Hodge hold the flag and baton ahead of the start of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

113h ago

Callum May

@callummay.co.uk

It’s the start of the Commonwealth Games today so we should all watch the 1986 opening ceremony in Edinburgh (40 years ago tomorrow) with gallery talkback from Stewart Morris. CUE THE PIPER. youtu.be/DTwuI_HDhxw?...

61h ago

Melanie Simms

@melaniesimms.bsky.social

Ok - I was a cynical old fool. I thought the Commonwealth Games being in town would be kind of ‘meh’. I was wrong. Town is buzzing. And I’m excited.

103h ago

Peyton Reads 📚💜🌻

@peytonreads.bsky.social

Who's going to be watching the Commonwealth Games? 💜🌻 www.espn.com/athletics/st...

810h ago

Politics UK

@politicsuk.com

🚨 NEW: Andy Burnham will visit Glasgow today to watch the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony He'll also meet First Ministers John Swinney and Rhun ap Iorwerth to discuss how to "work collaboratively"

94h ago

Jack

@nothingbutflowers.bsky.social

I realise I’m often an outlier on things but I live about a mile from one of the venues yet still have to keep reminding myself that the Commonwealth Games start *today*. Like the publicity for it feels really poor

73h ago

Paul Sandars🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@paulsandars.bsky.social

BBC News - Glasgow set to welcome the world for scaled back Commonwealth Games - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

41h ago

Te Ao Māori News - 🤖 (unofficial)

@teaonews.bsky.social

Despite Māori athlete numbers more than halving since the Birmingham 2022 Games, Rapaera Tawhai says Māori culture and language are more embedded within the team than ever.

44h ago

Bob Hawkins

@bobhawkins.bsky.social

The Commonwealth games aren’t on free to air television.. it’ll be the death of it. #r4today

63h ago

3 sources

theguardian.com‘People are looking at Scotland for good fun’: Glasgow prepares for Commonwealth Games rnz.co.nzCommonwealth Games: Bowlers get ball rolling for NZ team at Glasgow bbc.co.ukCommonwealth Games: Netball's basketball roots and 2032 Olympic dreams

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Glasgow opens 2026 Commonwealth Games in scaled-back edition

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