Commonwealth Games welcomes hosting bids

Seven countries have submitted formal expressions of interest to host the Commonwealth Games in either 2030 or 2034.

The Commonwealth Sport organisation has received expressions of interest from seven nations following the confirmation that Glasgow will host the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

These bids have come in response to an invitation issued in January to all 74 member nations, with submissions representing regions in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania.

Canada, India, and Nigeria have publicly confirmed interest in hosting the 2030 edition, which will mark the 100th anniversary of the Commonwealth Games. New Zealand is among the nations considering a bid for 2034.

The Commonwealth Sport organisation has begun a five-month feasibility assessment of the bids, and a host for 2030 is expected to be confirmed in November 2025.

Glasgow has stepped in to deliver a scaled-back version of the Games in 2026 after Victoria, Australia withdrew in 2023 due to rising costs. The revised model includes fewer sports, athletes, and venues and has been designed to reduce financial and operational pressures. This approach has followed wider challenges faced by major international sporting events, including increasing scrutiny over cost and sustainability.

Before the news of the recent bids, there were fears that Glasgow could be the last edition of the Games.

The Commonwealth Games Federation has maintained that the hosting model introduced for 2026 has expanded interest in future editions by making the event more accessible to a broader range of nations.