Last week Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS) published a desperate plea to Scots to embrace a 2026 Games proposal that has apparently been rejected by the national government.
At stake for Scotland is its high performance sports development program. Also at risk – the continuity of the Commonwealth Games itself, the biggest stage for Scottish athletes to compete under their own flag.
“The decision to host the Games has been sitting with the Scottish Government since May, and we have worked tirelessly to address all questions and concerns raised across the past few months,” CGS Chair Ian Reid said in the lengthy statement on the organization’s website Friday.
“However, the window of opportunity is fast closing, and with it, the ability to deliver within the timeline ahead of us hampered by uncertainty and delays,” he warned.
The statements followed an interview with First Minister John Swinney last week published by the Daily Mail that confirmed the Scottish government would not risk any public funds on the project. But according to CGS plans, no taxpayer investment is required with total costs estimated at £114 million (USD $150 million). Those costs would be more than offset by a £100 million (USD $130 million) contribution by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and commercial revenue from ticketing, sponsorship and broadcasting estimated to be worth between £100 million (USD $130 million) and £200 million (USD $263 million).
These numbers are estimates and the Scottish government fears that there could be significant cost over runs that are typical with mega events, especially when delivered in a fraction of the time typically planned. The government might also need to cover costs for security and expanded municipal services even though organizers say those costs are included in their proposed budget that adds a 24 percent contingency.
CGS says they do not need underwriting from the Scottish or UK governments nor have they asked for it.
Discussions among the UK government, CGS and the CGF continue.
The CGS proposal that has already been endorsed by the CGF could be the final lifeline for the institution that desperately hopes to celebrate its centennial edition in 2030 after first launching as the British Empire Games in Hamilton, Canada.
How We Got Here
The path to the CGF’s current predicament started almost ten years ago when 1978 Games host Edmonton, Canada bowed out of the 2022 race due to the global drop in oil prices that severely impacted the Alberta’s provincial government budget. That left only Durban in the race, and the South African city was elected unopposed only a few months later making it the first potential host on the African continent.
Durban struggled to organize the Games and in 2017 the CGF canceled the host contract after key milestones were missed and the Games were at risk. At the time, the 2026 bid campaign was already heating up and interest had been expressed for those Games from among Liverpool, Birmingham, London, Manchester, Kuala Lumpur, New Delhi and Melbourne. Near the deadline only a few months later Birmingham along with Victoria, Canada and Kuala Lumpur remained interested – but only Birmingham had met the requirements and was awarded the Games.
That took Birmingham out of the 2026 race and further delayed the campaign that had to effectively restart.
The CGF struggled to find new candidates for a 2026 race, with interest emerging from Canada, Australia and Asia but none with any solid government commitments. The Covid pandemic further hampered efforts as nations rightly prioritized health and economic issues over event planning. The CGF pitched the Games as a tool for regional pandemic recovery, but interest remained tepid.
Meanwhile Hamilton, Canada put together plans to bid for the 2030 centennial edition – hoping to bring the Games back to the city for the first time since it was inaugurated. Organizers said the sentimental connection to the anniversary was key to a successful Games. The CGF urged the city to consider hosting in 2026 instead and offered Hamilton an exclusive window to submit a proposal to host those Games.
The bid committee made the pivot and explored the new opportunity, but Hamilton’s city council was cautious due to the shortened time span, missed centennial opportunity and the risks associated with Covid recovery. Ultimately the bid was scuppered by the Ontario provincial government after it denied necessary funding for the event that would take place just weeks away from FIFA World Cup matches in nearby capital Toronto.
The CGF reopened up its search for a 2026 host while reports surfaced that Sri Lanka, Australia and Victoria in Canada were considering entering bids.
But it was the state of Victoria in Australia that in 2022 earned an exclusive window to bid for the Games, and two months later was elected to host the 2026 Games.
Fifteen months later in July 2023 Victoria had second thoughts and its premier pulled the plug on the Games, backing out of the contract and leaving the CGF without a host only three years before the opening ceremony. The premier blamed budgetary concerns for the cancelation, claiming estimated costs had more than doubled from (AUD) $2.6 billion to as much as $7 billion. The CGF blamed scope creep for the additional costs, accusing Victoria officials of ignoring advice and adding additional sports and venues to plans that were not necessary.
The Victoria government agreed to pay AUD $380 million (USD $255 million) to the CGF to cover damages, and from that the CGF offered a replacement host a USD $130 million investment.
That offer sparked interest from various parties including London, Ahmedabad in India, Gold Coast in Australia, Christchurch in New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore, but no deals were closed. Finally Glasgow came to the table with a plan to leverage its 2014 Games legacy and stage a downsized program that could be organized in a short period for minimal costs.
The CGF hoped to sign a deal with Glasgow last May, but the Scottish government has yet to approve plans.
GamesBids.com contacted the CGF several times since May only to be told that more time was needed and “no further updates were available”.
The CGF had toyed with other options to deliver a 2026 Games in an extremely short timeframe including delaying the Games until 2027, or holding events in several nations across the Commonwealth. Those could still be in play if the Glasgow deal fails to solidify.
There had been interest in staging future editions with more time to prepare – including Alberta for 2030, but the Canadian province dropped those plans after Victoria canceled. New Zealand hopes to host in 2034 or beyond, but without the momentum of a 2026 edition there are fears that the entire institution could collapse.
A ‘no brainer’
“A decision over the coming weeks is critical to deliver the Games – we believe the concept is a no brainer,” Reid said, acknowledging that time is running out to be able to deliver the cost-efficient plan.
Reid said the financial targets are achievable due to the unique measures that have been proposed. They include a program of only 10 sports, down from the typical 22 and cutting the number of athletes and support staff thereby reducing the costs of accommodations. That also enables a “compact four-venue model within an eight-mile corridor” using existing infrastructure that CGS says will minimize transport and security costs and the need for new construction.
The investment would result in increased opportunities and revenue through tourism and increased hotel bookings, restaurant and bar visits and the use of existing sport venues.
“To potentially turn down such a significant sum of money [offered by CGF], which only serves to boost the Glasgow and Scottish economies and has been deliberately created not to rely on the public purse at a time of economic uncertainty, is – in our opinion – short-sighted,” Reid said.
“Should we choose not to step up and host, the future of high-performance sport in Scotland will be under serious threat.
“Glasgow 2014 provided a catalyst for success for many Scottish athletes, including those who won medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games; 25 of the 34 Scots on Team GB have competed for Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games, including six of the nine medalists. The same can be said for many of the Scottish athletes inspiring the nation at the Paralympic Games. For so many in Scottish sport, the Commonwealth Games is a pinnacle – a career highlight, loved by athletes, support staff and fans alike.
“The Commonwealth Games is the only opportunity for many athletes to compete under the Scottish flag and is a key development stage for our stars on their journey to international success. The Scottish high-performance system is largely designed around the Games, being the biggest stage for many of our sports.”
The CGF is solidly behind Glasgow’s bid, recognizing that the project represents the future of the Commonwealth Games.
CGF President Chris Jenkins said in a statement “We fully endorse Commonwealth Games Scotland’s innovative concept for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and believe that Scotland, with its significant experience in organizing major sports events, is more than able to deliver a world-class event in such a short period of time.
‘’In utilizing existing sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, and world-class venues and expertise, the compact concept would not only build on the legacy of Glasgow 2014 but would position Scotland as pioneers at the start of our journey in resetting and reframing the Commonwealth Games of the future as a collaborative, flexible and sustainable model that minimizes costs, inspires athletes, and excites Hosts and International Federations.’’
The Scottish and UK government are now under pressure as the unintended potential saviors of the Commonwealth Games that are at risk of collapse just short of the 100 year anniversary.
