MELBOURNE: The Australian state of Victoria today pulled out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games citing major cost blow-outs, leaving the multi-sport event in limbo.
State premier Daniel Andrews said the initial estimated A$2 billion cost of holding the Games would more likely come to around A$7 billion, which he called “well and truly too much”.
“I’ve made a lot of difficult calls, a lot of very difficult decisions in this job. This is not one of them. Frankly, A$7 billion for a sporting event, we are not doing that,” he said at a press conference.
“I will not take money out of hospitals and schools to host an event that is three times the cost estimated and budgeted for last year.
“The Games will not proceed in Victoria in 2026. We have informed Commonwealth Games authorities of our decision to seek to terminate the contract.”
The event was due to be held across several regional hubs in the state, including Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, with each having its own athletes’ village.
It had been hoped it would leave a legacy for regional sport, with new facilities to be built in the host centres.
Victoria was the exclusive bidder for the 2026 Games, and its fate is now up in the air.
The event typically attracts more than 4,000 athletes from the 54 nations of the Commonwealth, almost all of which are former territories of the British Empire.
The last Games, in 2022, were held in Birmingham, England.
