Australia's Victoria pulls out of hosting Commonwealth Games 2026

Published at :July 18, 2023 at 8:27 PM

Modified at :September 22, 2023 at 6:36 AM

Previous edition was successfully hosted by Birmingham last year.

Australian state of Victoria has pulled out of hosting the 2026 edition of the Commonwealth Games citing cost issues. State's Premier Daniel Andrew iterated, "We have informed Commonwealth Games authorities of our decision to seek to terminate the contract and to not conduct, not host the Games."

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He further stated, With 973 days until the start of the Games, the original forecast budget for the event of AUD$2.6 billion was now expected to be AUD$6 billion. I cannot stand here and say to you that I have any confidence that even AUD$7 billion number would appropriately and adequately fund these Games. But $6 to $7 billion is well and truly too much for a 12-day sporting event."

The Commonwealth Games 2026 was intially set to be held in Victoria from March 17 to 29. The mega Games was scheduled to take place across four regional sites of Victoria - Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Latrobe Valley. Victoria had been awarded the event by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) in April 2022 after successful bidding.

This is the second instance of a state withdrawing from hosting the Games, with the first being Durban in South Africa who were awarded the hosting rights of Commonwealth Games 2022. The city failed to meet the financial guidelines and ultimately the event got shifted to Birmingham who successfully hosted the Games.

The Oceanian country has hosted the Commonwealth Games a record five times - 1938, 1962, 1988, 2006, and 2018.

"We are taking advice on the options available to us and remain committed to finding a solution for the Games in 2026 that is in the best interest of our athletes and the wider Commonwealth Sport Movement," the CGF said in a statement.

Ahead of the upcoming edition there were talks of several sports to be added to the tournament roster with the major ones being Shooting, Archery, and Wrestling. Shooting and Archery in particular were not part of the Birmingham Games last year.