Victoria to host 2026 Commonwealth Games

Article posted by Coliseum, April 13^th, 2022

Image: MJR Group Ltd./Coliseum

The Australian State of Victoria has been confirmed as the host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

‘The Globe And Mail’ stated that it will be the first-ever predominantly regional Commonwealth Games with events in several Cities and regional hubs including Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, and Gippsland. Australia has hosted five other times.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXIII Commonwealth Games and commonly known as Victoria 2026, is a multisport event for members of the Commonwealth scheduled to take place in 5 Cities in the State of Victoria, Australia.

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‘The Globe And Mail’ further stated that in the announcement made on April 12^th, the Commonwealth Games Federation President Louise Martin said Victoria and Commonwealth Games Australia “Set out a bold and innovative vision for hosting our major multisport event. In Victoria, we believe we have found the perfect partner for the next stage of our journey.”

The opening ceremony will be held at the 1, 00,024-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground in East Melbourne, Australia.

The Commonwealth Games are held every four years involving 70-plus countries from the British Commonwealth of Nations. It was scheduled for Durban (South Africa) this year, but Birmingham, England (UK) stepped in when financial constraints forced the South African City to pull out.

The Gold Coast in Queensland hosted in 2018. Melbourne hosted the games in 2006 while other Australian editions included Sydney (1938), Perth (1962) and Brisbane (1982).

The Victoria proposal became the favorite in February when the State Government entered into “exclusive negotiations” with the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Sixteen sports have been confirmed on the initial program and up to seven more could be added.

The Commonwealth of Nations, generally known simply as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 54 Member-States, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is the organization responsible for the direction and control of the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Youth Games, and for delivering on the vision of the Commonwealth Sports Movement: To build peaceful, sustainable and prosperous communities globally by inspiring Commonwealth Athletes to drive the impact and ambition of all Commonwealth Citizens through Sport.

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