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The plan to rescue the Commonwealth Games

A beleaguered multi-sport event is downsizing - will more nations want to host it now?

A year ago, the Commonwealth Games looked dead and buried. The Australian state of Victoria had pulled out of hosting the 2026 edition due to spiralling costs, and in Canada, the province of Alberta had stepped back from bidding for the 2030 edition.

But now Scotland鈥檚 biggest city, Glasgow, has ridden to the rescue, agreeing to host the 2026 Games. It says its scaled back, lower-budget model for doing so could encourage poorer countries to do the same in the future.

How realistic is that? Is Glasgow 2026 the last hurrah for an anachronistic sporting event, inextricably tied to the British empire, or does it really represent a fresh start?

(Picture: A Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 delegation in Glasgow, UK. Credit: 大象传媒)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Release date:

17 minutes

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Tuesday 08:32GMT

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