Australia's Victoria state to host 2026 Commonwealth Games
Victoria announced Tuesday that it will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with all sporting events taking place outside of the state capital Melbourne. The state's premier, Daniel Andrews, praised the Commonwealth Games Federation for embracing Victoria's pitch for the international multisports event, admitting that "it's a bit riskier than just running it in the middle of a large city". The 2026 Games will be held in four regional hubs in the towns of Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland, each with its own athletes' village. However, the opening ceremony will be held at Australia's largest sports stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which can hold more than 100,000 spectators. The state has confirmed 16 sports for the Games so far, including aquatics, cycling and Twenty20 cricket, with further announcements promised.
