Australia offers funds to help Glasgow host Commonwealth Games 2026

Glasgow’s hopes of hosting the Commonwealth Games have been boosted after Australian authorities made an offer of additional funding to mitigate financial risks.

Commonwealth Games Australia are seeking talks with the Scottish Government to explore a financial package that would see the event take place in Glasgow in two years time.

A proposal to hold a scaled-down version of the Games has been hanging in the balance due to a dispute between the UK and Scottish governments over funding.

The majority of the cost of hosting the Games would be covered by the organisers themselves, with £100m of the proposed £114m coming from compensation previous hosts Victoria paid to the Commonwealth Games Federation. The remainder is to come from private finance.

However, the Scottish Government has said that they could not provide any public funds to cover additional costs and asked the UK Government for a guarantee to underwrite any financial risk. In response, the UK Government offered £2.3m of funding, with no underwriting of risk, and asked that Holyrood match that figure.

Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) has now stepped forward to offer their own financial support for the bid.

While Victoria paid £100m in compensation to the Commonwealth Games Federation, CGA received separate compensation and are prepared to share some of that money to help put the Games on.

A statement from the president of CGA, Ben Houston, read: “Commonwealth Games Australia welcomes the enthusiasm for the Games by the Scottish and UK Governments, and we want to do all that we can to make Glasgow 2026 a reality.

“We appreciate that the model is different and that creates perceived financial and reputational challenges, but we have every confidence in the model proposed by Commonwealth Games Scotland.

“As one of the beneficiaries of the settlement with the Victorian Government, we today commit a multi-million pound investment into the Games to be further negotiated with Commonwealth Games Scotland and the Scottish Government.

“Now is not the time to walk away from a Games that has inspired for generations, and we look forward to working collaboratively toward an outcome that benefits Commonwealth nations, their athletes, coaches and fans.”

Commonwealth Games Scotland, who put together the plan for Glasgow 2026, are hopeful the offer can help to make the event a reality.

A spokesperson said: “Commonwealth Games Scotland welcomes the support of Commonwealth Games Australia for our Glasgow 2026 Games concept.

“Their willingness to invest financially, to further alleviate concerns of perceived financial and reputational risk, shows the high regard on which our cost-effective proposal is held within the global sport and events community.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Discussions on a proposal for Glasgow 2026 are ongoing and no decision has been taken by the Scottish Government.

“Due diligence is being given to the many opportunities and risks this proposal presents and, as part of this, we welcome the offer to engage with Commonwealth Games Australia.”