Australia’s Victoria pulls out of hosting 2026 Commonwealth Games

Australia’s state of Victoria will not host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to projected cost overruns, placing the future of the multi-sport event, which takes place every four years, in doubt.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said on Tuesday that the cost of the Games, which were to be held in four regional hubs, could amount to more than A$7bn ($4.8bn) from a budgeted A$2.6bn ($1.8bn) if they went ahead.Australia’s state of Victoria will not host the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to projected cost overruns, placing the future of the multi-sport event, which takes place every four years, in doubt.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said on Tuesday that the cost of the Games, which were to be held in four regional hubs, could amount to more than A$7bn ($4.8bn) from a budgeted A$2.6bn ($1.8bn) if they went ahead.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.”

Falling demand to host the games
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 was stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in preparations.

Falling demand to host the games
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 was stripped of them in 2017 over a lack of progress in preparations.