Claire Thomson
The Australian state of Victoria has officially been awarded the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
It will mark the sixth time that the Games have been hosted by Australia after a successful Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast four years ago. However, it is the first time that a state or region has been awarded the multi-sport event.
A total of five cities and regions are set to play a role in hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, including Melbourne, which hosted the event in 2006. Staged in March of that year, the cities of Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland will be filled with sporting action and athletes from across the Commonwealth nations.
It is claimed that this new approach will showcase the best of what the state has to offer and provide a unique experience to athletes and spectators alike.
An initial 16 sports have been suggested for the Games, including T20 cricket, but there is still the potential for this to be raised to 23 sports when the final programme is announced towards the end of 2022.
Cricket, swimming and diving, athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, gymnastics, hockey, netball, squash, table tennis, rugby sevens, triathlon and weightlifting are also amongst the first group of sports to be confirmed on the programme for Victoria 2026.
Swimming, athletics, lawn bowls, table tennis and triathlon will play host to Para sports, as well as powerlifting.
“The Commonwealth Games Federation is absolutely delighted to award the 2026 Commonwealth Games to Victoria,” said CGF president Dame Louise Martin. “Commonwealth Games Australia and the Victorian Government have set out a bold and innovative vision that provides an exciting new blueprint for hosting our major multi-sport event.”
It has also been announced that the Opening Ceremony will take place at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games will take place in Birmingham from 28 July-8 August.
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Claire Thomson
Aspiring Sports Journalist and Modern Languages Student (French/German) at University of Glasgow