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The clock above counts down to the start of the 2026 Commonwealth Games on July 23, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland, the 23rd edition of the multi-sport event after Glasgow stepped in as a late host.
The Commonwealth Games bring together athletes from 74 nations and territories of the Commonwealth. Glasgow steps in as host in 2026 after Victoria, Australia withdrew its hosting offer in 2023 citing escalating costs. Glasgow previously hosted in 2014 and offered to take 2026 on a streamlined budget using existing venues, making this the first deliberately scaled-down Games of the modern era.
The 2026 programme includes 10 core sports: athletics, swimming, gymnastics, track cycling, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3x3 basketball, plus parasport equivalents. The four-venue cluster is built around Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the SEC complex. The opening ceremony takes place on July 23 with closing on August 2.
Per the organising committee, the Games run for 11 days with around 3,000 athletes competing for 200 medal events. The format change drops sports including diving, hockey, rugby sevens, squash, and triathlon, which is unprecedented in modern Commonwealth Games history. Glasgow's promise of "Glasgow does Glasgow" emphasises low-spectacle, athlete-focused presentation, with the opening ceremony at OVO Hydro arena rather than a stadium.
In the UK and Scotland the Games are free-to-air on BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Scotland, and BBC iPlayer. Australia has it on Nine and 9Now. India is on Sony Sports and Sony LIV. Canada streams on CBC. The opening ceremony begins at 20:00 BST (21:00 CEST, 15:00 ET, 00:30 IST next day, 05:00 AEST next day).
Multi-sport fans can also track the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, the LA28 Olympics Opening Ceremony, the Glasgow 2026 Opening Ceremony page, and the World Athletics Championships 2027.
When does the Commonwealth Games 2026 start? Thursday July 23, 2026 with the opening ceremony at 20:00 BST. Where is the Commonwealth Games 2026 held? Glasgow, Scotland, across four existing venue clusters. How can I watch the Commonwealth Games 2026? Free on BBC One/Two/Scotland and iPlayer in the UK, Nine/9Now in Australia, and Sony Sports in India. Why is the 2026 programme smaller? Glasgow stepped in late as host after Victoria withdrew, choosing a deliberately reduced 10-sport programme to use existing venues and a tight budget.
