The 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August 2026, marking the second time the city has hosted the event after the successful 2014 Games. The Games feature 74 nations and territories competing in 10 sports and six integrated para-sports, with approximately 3,000 athletes expected to participate. Tickets are now on sale via the official Glasgow 2026 platform, starting from £12 for concessions.
Key Dates and Schedule
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games run for 11 days, from 23 July to 2 August 2026. The opening ceremony will be held on 23 July at the OVO Hydro, marking the first Commonwealth Games opening ceremony to take place in an indoor arena. Competition begins on 24 July, and the closing ceremony is scheduled for 2 August. Over 150 sport sessions and 215 medals will be contested across the 11-day programme.
Venues
All events will be staged within an eight-mile corridor of Glasgow's city centre, across four main venue clusters. The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) will host 3x3 basketball, bowls, boxing, judo, and weightlifting in its SEC Centre and SEC Armadillo halls. Scotstoun Stadium features a newly built track for athletics and para-athletics. The Glasgow International Arena (Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Arena) is the venue for track cycling and para-track cycling. Tollcross International Swimming Centre will host swimming and para-swimming.
Sports Programme
The Games feature 10 sports, with six fully integrated para-sports: para-athletics, para-swimming, para-track cycling, para-bowls, para-powerlifting, and 3x3 wheelchair basketball. The other sports are 3x3 basketball, artistic gymnastics, athletics, bowls, boxing, judo, netball, swimming, track cycling, and weightlifting. Sports such as badminton, hockey, rugby sevens, and squash were dropped to keep the Games compact.
Tickets
Approximately 500,000 tickets are available through the official Glasgow 2026 ticketing platform. Prices start at £12 for concessions, £17 for non-medal sessions, and £26 for medal sessions. For example, medal sessions for swimming and track cycling cost up to £150, while netball medal sessions are £85. Tickets are digital-only. A resale platform allows fans to sell unwanted tickets at face value, helping to prevent fraud.
Why Glasgow?
The 2026 Commonwealth Games were originally awarded to Victoria, Australia, but the state withdrew in 2023 due to rising projected costs. Glasgow was confirmed as the replacement host in 2024, adopting a leaner model that uses existing venues and infrastructure. The Games are expected to cost approximately £160 million, significantly lower than previous editions.
Broadcast and Mascot
In the UK, TNT Sports will provide over 600 hours of live coverage, with free-to-air highlights on Channel 5. Australia's Seven Network and New Zealand's Sky New Zealand are official broadcast partners. The Games mascots are Finnie, a unicorn with a traffic cone horn inspired by Glasgow's Duke of Wellington statue, and Clyde. The logo features the River Clyde, Finnieston Crane, and Clyde Arc bridge, representing the city's heritage and innovation.
