The UK downplays the idea of hosting the event again after the Victorian Government abruptly cancelled the 2026 event citing a cost blowout

Downing Street expressed optimism in finding a “viable solution” for the 2026 Commonwealth Games originally planned in Australia, but dismissed the idea of the UK stepping in to host the event. 

Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf, expressed interest in exploring the possibility of hosting the games as part of a multi-country UK bid.

Victoria’s premier, Daniel Andrews, had announced the state’s withdrawal due to escalating staging costs.

“This is a disappointing outcome for both fans and athletes,” Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s official spokesman said.

“We hope that the Victoria state government, the Games federation and Commonwealth Games Australia will now work together to find a viable solution to hosting the event in 2026.”

In 2017, Birmingham took over the hosting rights for the 2022 Commonwealth Games after the Federation stripped Durban, South Africa, of the opportunity.

The event’s cost in Birmingham was £778m (AU$1.5bn), with funding shared between the central government and Birmingham City Council. An independent report highlighted the positive contribution of £870.7m (AU$1.7bn) to the UK economy.

When asked about encouraging a home nation to host the 2026 event, the government spokesperson advised against rushing into decisions.

“In the first instance it’s for those bodies and groups I’ve just mentioned to have those discussions and see if a solution can be found,” said the spokesperson.

“Obviously the UK has been honoured to host the Games twice in the past decade (Birmingham 2022 and Glasgow 2014) so we will see what comes out of those initial discussions.”

Katie Sadleir, the chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, welcomed the possibility of Scotland being part of a multi-city, multi-country host.

“The UK are fantastic hosts and we would be very open to having a conversation with them about it, if that’s something they would be interested in doing,” she said.

Humza Yousaf expressed interest in exploring the possibility, while England, Scotland, and Wales’ national Commonwealth federations were disappointed by Victoria’s withdrawal, stating it was unsettling for athletes.