The Commonwealth Games are fighting for survival – and it's anyone's guess if Glasgow 2026 will be the last hurrah. The event has been scaled back dramatically since Victoria pulled out just three years ago, splashing a whopping AUS$380m (£199m) on its way out the door, citing potential losses that could have run into the billions.
But Phil Batty, CEO of Glasgow 2026, is undaunted. "This is a wholesale shift," he declares, insisting it's not just about getting through the next two editions in 2030 and 2034, but about securing the long-term future of the Games. And who better to do that than a city like Glasgow, renowned for its sport-loving nation and proud tradition of hosting events with heart?
The problem is, beneath all the bravado, there are some glaring issues. Tickets for most events are still readily available, which is not what fans were expecting given the enthusiasm around the last Games in 2014 when Hampden Park was packed to the rafters. This time around, athletics will be taking place at Scotstoun Stadium, which can accommodate just over 10,000 spectators – and even then, there are still tickets available for some sessions.
And if you're one of those fans hoping to catch the action on free-to-air TV, you'll be left high and dry. For the first time since 1954, the BBC isn't broadcasting the event, after TNT Sports snapped up the rights for a reported £5m. While they promise over 600 hours of live coverage, it's hard not to feel that this is a missed opportunity for mainstream exposure.
Of course, there will be some top-class athletes competing in Glasgow, including new mile world record holder Josh Kerr taking on Jake Wightman and Cameron Myers. Adam Ramsay-Peaty and Cameron McEvoy are also set to strut their stuff, but the list of absentees reads like a Who's Who of global athletics, with Olympic champions Keely Hodgkinson, Summer McIntosh, Oblique Seville, Letsile Tebogo, Collen Kebinatshipi, and Julien Alfred all giving it a miss.
The financial doubts surrounding the Games' future hosts continue to linger. Birmingham 2022 reportedly racked up costs of £778m – a burden that will be passed on to future generations. And if Ahmedabad's decision to host in 2030 is anything to go by, it's clear that securing long-term commitment from potential host nations is going to be the real challenge facing the Games.