Australia’s Victoria Withdraws From Hosting 2026 Commonwealth Games
Australia’s state of Victoria will not host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, tagged Victoria 2026, due to projected cost overruns which put the future of the multi-sport event that takes place every four years in doubt.
The event is scheduled to hold from March 17th – 29th, 2026.
Victoria Premier Dan Andrews said the cost of the Games, which were to have been held in four regional hubs, could blow out to more than A$7 billion ($4.8 billion) from a budgeted A$2.6 billion if they went ahead.
“Frankly A$6-A$7 billion for a 12-day sporting event, we’re not doing that,” Andrews said at a media conference.
“I will not take money out of hospitals and schools to fund an event that is three times the cost as estimated and budgeted for last year.”
Andrews said Victoria had already informed the global Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), but the cost of breaking the 2026 contract had yet to be decided.
The CGF did not provide immediate comment but local body Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) said the pull-out was “beyond disappointing”.
“It’s a comprehensive letdown for the athletes, the excited host communities, First Nations Australians who were at the heart of the Games and the millions of fans that would have embraced a sixth home Games in Australia,” CGA Chief Executive Craig Phillips said in a statement.
“The stated costs overrun, in our opinion, are a gross exaggeration.”
Statement from Craig Phillips AM regarding the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.
More: https://t.co/lCXk0M57kG pic.twitter.com/wFCB3SYaiB
— Commonwealth Games Australia (@CommGamesAUS) July 18, 2023
The sporting event for mostly former British colonies has struggled to remain relevant, with five of the last six editions held in Australia or Britain.
English city Birmingham stepped in to host the 2022 Games after South Africa were stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in preparations.
Though Australia hosted the Games as recently as 2018 at the Gold Coast, Victoria put its hand up for 2026 last year when no other countries showed interest.
