How we got to Glasgow 2026 and what the Commonwealth Games will look like

The Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 will begin on July 23 and run through August 2, with Day Zero starting the programme with an extra bowls and para bowls session after “unprecedented demand.” The schedule runs from 6:30pm AEST July 23 to 1:25am July 24, followed by the opening ceremony at 5am AEST on July 24. Most events are set to start around 5:30pm AEST, typically finishing after 7am the next morning. ABC Sport will provide live coverage each day. The event’s route to Glasgow has been shaped by setbacks in Victoria, where hosting plans were confirmed in April 2022 and then withdrawn in July 2023 after costs rose from $2.6 billion to about $6 billion. Victoria later agreed to pay $380 million in compensation. In September 2024, Glasgow was announced again with about $200 million from Victorian taxpayers, and the sports list was reduced to 10 compared with Birmingham 2022.