Last year, the Australian state of Victoria pulled out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, and so Glasgow stepped in. A pragmatic move on Scotland’s part, the games are one of the few international events where athletes can compete for Scotland, not Team GB. Scottish athletes will have their chance to shine.
It’s not the first time the games have been hosted in Glasgow, which put on the event in 2014. It’s also not the first time the games have struggled to find a home; Durban, the original 2022 host, had to pull out for financial reasons.
But it’s not only the financial cost that has been difficult – the Commonwealth Games are having to reckon with the lingering associations of a colonial past. It is quickly becoming a “pass the hot potato” game between Australia and the UK, who seem the only ones willing – and financially able – to take it on.
For young athletes across the UK, and specifically Scotland, the Commonwealth Games provide a more accessible opportunity on the international stage. The move to host the games also fits within a wider drive by Scotland to position itself as a cultural powerhouse. Only narrowly missing out on hosting the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest to Liverpool, Glasgow – and Scotland – have always had a strong international reputation for culture.
Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival is world famous for its creativity. Scotland is a country that knows how to put on a show. I bore witness to this recently at the Braemar Gathering. In unseasonable heat, Scottish and international athletes tossed the caber and competed in track and field.
Despite the mess from which the 2026 games are now emerging, for young Scottish athletes there is nothing but excitement. Speaking to one hoping to compete for Scotland in swimming, she talked about the buzz of national pride in the Scottish team. A friend who has his eye on making the Team GB squad for LA 2028 explained that the Commonwealth Games is a major stepping stone that makes the gap to big competitions like the world championships less daunting.
As well as preparing young athletes, the games are also meant to inspire future generations. Some friends recall the excitement of the 2014 games in Glasgow, and hope that 2026 will whip up a similar frenzy. But, having only hosted a short time ago, there’s also a feeling that you can have too much of a good thing.
“The last one was so recent, and the decision was so last minute, they’ll struggle to build as much hype,” one friend said.
Scotland’s athletic pedigree, often overlooked, is not to be snubbed or overshadowed by the rest of the UK. The men’s 1500 metre world title was won by Scotsmen in 2022 and 2023, with Josh Kerr, who won in 2023, also winning silver in Paris this summer. As I walk through Edinburgh, I spot the gold letterbox in honour of Sir Chris Hoy, and then we come to the Eric Liddell Community Centre, named after the sprinting icon whose story was told in Chariots of Fire.
Hosting the Commonwealth Games is expensive and complicated – but if it can keep Scottish sports on the world stage and give young athletes the experience and confidence they need, then it will all be worth it.
Abigail King is a student writer based in Edinburgh
