2026 Commonwealth Games

The 2026 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Victoria 2026, is a multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth scheduled to take place in five regions in the state of Victoria, Australia (Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland). The host city was initially intended to be selected at the 2019 CGF General Assembly in Kigali, Rwanda.[1] On 16 June 2019, the CGF confirmed that it would decide the host city in 2020, but the lack of interest from cities and the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the announcement.[2] In December 2021, the CGF reported that it would announce a host some time in March 2022, however, Victoria was announced as the host on the 12th of April 2022,[3] after two months of an exclusive dialogue process with the CGF.[4][5]

XXIII Commonwealth Games
Interim Logo of the 2026 Commonwealth Games
Host cityVictoria (Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Gippsland), Australia
Nations participating72 commonwealth nations (expected)
Athletes participating5,000
Main venueMelbourne Cricket Ground
WebsiteVictoria 2026 Website

Host selection
Further information: Bids for the 2026 Commonwealth Games

During the CGF General Assembly on 31 March 2017 in Gold Coast, after the troubled 2022 Commonwealth Games host city bid process, the executive board announced that it had planned to award both 2026 and 2030 Commonwealth Games simultaneously at the CGF General Assembly scheduled for Kigali, Rwanda in September 2019. A new model called CGF Partnerships (CGFP) was implemented. This aims to give stronger support to the associations and cities that show interests in hosting future Games, and enhance the overall value of the event. This is similar to the process used by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 2017.[6][7] In January 2022 the Victorian State Government announced it was giving serious consideration to a late request from the CGF to host the Games. On 16 February 2022, Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews confirmed that the state was in exclusive negotiations with the CGF to host the Games.[8] It was stated that if successful in hosting the Games a second time, a Victorian bid would aim to emphasise the state's regional centres – such as Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo – as opposed to being predominantly Melbourne-based, such as in 2006. Bendigo had previously hosted the 2004 Commonwealth Youth Games. Acceptance of the bid will likely also be conditional upon agreement on ways to control costs, such as housing athletes and officials in hotels rather than a dedicated village.[9][10] This bid was confirmed as successful on 12 April 2022.[11]

2026 Commonwealth Games bidding results
Region Nation Votes
Victoria Australia Unanimous

Potential development and preparations

Venue construction and renovations

While little is known of the exact venues which will be constructed or upgraded for the games, several potential and interim facilities have been discussed, including an upgraded Eureka Stadium, which will likely have its seated capacity brought up from 5,127 to approximately 20,000, with temporary grandstands expanding it to 30,000 for the games. New lighting for the stadium as well as the addition of a nearby permanent athletics track are also expected for the upgrades.[12]

In Geelong, the City Hall has identified the construction of a new indoor arena to host the gymnastics and table tennis events as a “priority project”. While the hockey venue has not yet been determined, the use of Stead Park for the sport has been "reported",[13] which, according to Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles, would need to be upgraded to host up to 10,000 fans.[14] Additionally, the Geelong deputy mayor Trent Sullivan has hinted at several possible venues for the games, including using Eastern Beach as a venue for triathlon and beach volleyball, the newly redeveloped Kardinia Park for cricket T20, and new or upgraded facilities to host aquatics.[15]

Shepparton has also been discussed as another host city for the games, although no events accredited to the town have been stated on the initial list of venues.

Infrastructure

It is expected that the Midland Highway, which links four host cities (Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and Shepparton) will receive upgrades in time for the games, with the possibility of a new Northern train station to be constructed in Ballarat.[12]

An athlete's village will be built in four host cities.[11]

Venues
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Kardinia Aquatic Centre, Geelong
Eureka Stadium, Ballarat

Venues will mostly be located within Geelong and Bendigo, with some events being held in the Gippsland, Ballarat, and Melbourne. The current list is open to change, and further venues are to be named in late 2022.[16][17][18][19] The redevelopment plans for some venues are to be announced after the Victorian State Budget on 3 May 2022.[12]

Melbourne

Geelong Cluster

Ballarat Cluster

Bendigo Cluster

Gippsland Cluster

Broadcasting

References
  1. "Rwanda to host 2019 CGF General Assembly marking ten-year anniversary of Commonwealth membership". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  2. "Dame Louise Martin to run unopposed for CGF President as confirmed 2026 Commonwealth Games to be awarded next year". 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  3. "Games-Australian state to be confirmed 2026 Commonwealth Games host -report". Devdiscourse. 12 April 2022. Archived from the original on 11 April 2022.
  4. Commonwealth Games set for Victoria, Australia, in 2026, from BBCSport.com
  5. "CGF confirm Victoria, Australia as host of 2026 Commonwealth Games". CGF.com. 11 April 2022.
  6. "Resurgent Commonwealth agrees to begin the process of selecting 2026 and 2030 Commonwealth Games Host Cities". Commonwealth Games Federation. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  7. "Bid process for 2026 Commonwealth Games officially launched". 31 March 2018. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  8. "Victoria likely to host 2026 Commonwealth Games as government enters exclusive negotiations". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Melbourne. 16 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  9. Masters, Roy (19 January 2022). "Melbourne set to step into breach as 2026 Commonwealth Games host city". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  10. "Victoria present bid to host 2026 Commonwealth Games, could include 22 sports".
  11. "Regional Victoria to host 2026 Commonwealth Games". ABC News. 12 April 2022.
  12. "Regional Victorian stadiums to host 2026 Commonwealth Games". Austadiums. 16 April 2022. Archived from the original on 19 April 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  13. Gilmour, Rod (12 April 2022). "Victoria state awarded 2026 Commonwealth Games, hockey in Geelong". The Hockey Paper. The hockey venue in Geelong has yet to be determined, although Stead Park has been reported.
  14. Holloway, Georgia; Shying, Olivia (22 April 2022). "Geelong hockey facilities need major upgrades to host Commonwealth Games, Hockey Australia chief says". The Geelong Advertiser.
  15. Higgins, Billy (21 April 2022). "City's grand plans to host Games". Geelong Times.
  16. "Commonwealth Games coming back to Australia with Victoria 2026 set to be a games-changer – and accelerates a green and gold runway for the decade". Commonwealth Games. 12 April 2022. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  17. Juanola, Marta Pascual (12 April 2022). "Victoria to host 2026 Commonwealth Games". The Age. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  18. Mackay, Duncan (22 April 2022). "Victoria officially confirmed as host of 2026 Commonwealth Games as new regional model unveiled". Inside the Games. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  19. Shing, Harriet (13 April 2022). "Commonwealth Games update: Rugby sevens is coming Morwell!". Twitter. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022.
  20. "Sky TV Wins Broadcast Rights For 2022 And 2026 Commonwealth Games". Ministry of Sport. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
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