Major sporting event watched by 28 million people on the BBC at risk of being axed with no city willing to host
THE future of the Commonwealth Games is in doubt after a potential host city for the 2026 event pulled out.
More than 28million people tuned in to BBC to watch last year’s theatrics in Birmingham.
England finished second behind Australia and ahead of Canada in what was hailed as one of the most successful Commonwealth Games ever.
However, questions are now being raised about the future of the prestigious event.
Gold Coast, the 2018 hosts, looked set to step in after fellow Aussies the State of Victoria decided in July against staging the event because of the cost.
An initial £1.4billion estimate had leaped to over £3bn, according to the government.
But now the Queensland city have withdrawn their bid too, despite originally reckoning they could do a streamlined version for £360million.
And it leaves no candidates for either the ’26 and ’30 Games, despite reports of a secret plan to move the next event to Scotland.
It appears federal and state governments in Oz have ruled out supporting the 93-year-old Games.
And organisers are now facing the possibility of postponing or even cancelling the 2026 Games.
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Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate said: “We did our best and that’s all people can expect.”
A spokesperson for the Commonwealth Games Federation added: “Since the sudden withdrawal of Victoria in July 2023 as the host of the 2026 Games, the Commonwealth Games Federation has been working tirelessly with Commonwealth Games Associations to find a new host who would be able to step in at such short notice.
“We are in active conversations with a number of potential hosts across the Commonwealth and hope to provide an update on those discussions in early 2024.”