Commonwealth Games in doubt as Victoria pulls out of 2026 hosting

The 2026 Commonwealth Games are in doubt as the Australian state of Victoria has cancelled its plans to host the sporting event.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said Victoria had been "happy to help out" when approached to host last year, but after projected costs tripled to more than A$6 billion for the 12-day event, it became “well and truly too much" for the state to bear.

The government said it will still complete the stadium upgrades it promised, while using the money it is now saving on housing and tourism initiatives – while the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said it is "committed to finding a solution" for the multi-sport tournament.