Glasgow Set To Be Announced As Host City Of 'Scaled Down' 2026 Commonwealth Games: Report

The Scottish capital of Glasgow is set to be announced as the host city of a "scaled down" Commonwealth Games in 2026, a year after Australian state Victoria pulled out due to ballooning costs, according to reports. The 2026 Commonwealth Games were to be held in multiple cities across Victoria but the Australian state made a shock announcement in July 2023 that it has pulled out of the multi-sport event citing a steep rise in projected expenditure. The withdrawal, which led to the Victorian government paying 380 million Australian dollar (around USD 256 million) compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), dealt a major blow on an event that has lost relevance in recent years.

But it is learnt that the Australian authorities have promised "a multi-million pound investment" -- reported to be nearly 5 million Australia dollar -- to help finalise Glasgow's offer to rescue the multi-sport event.

"Glasgow, which hosted the games in 2014, is now close to confirming a scaled down event featuring fewer sports," the BBC reported.

"The Scottish government is on the verge of agreeing a deal for Glasgow to host the Commonwealth Games in 2026." Glasgow, which hosted the 2014 edition of the CWG on a shoe-string budget -- 575.6 million pound (around USD 760 million) -- with 70 per cent of the event venues already existing in the city, offered to host the 2026 edition in April.

This time also, the Glasgow organisers will utilise the existing venues and accommodation options with an estimated cost of 130 to 150 million pound (USD 170 million approximately), as per their proposal.

The Scottish and United Kingdom governments had refused to use any public money towards the rescue bid, which was being largely bankrolled by a 100