Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Official name: XXIII Commonwealth Games 

Host city: Glasgow, Scotland 

Dates: 23 July – 2 August 2026 

Nations participating: 74 

Athletes participating: 3,000 

Events: 215 medal events 

Sports: 10 (Athletics and Para Athletics, Swimming & Para Swimming, Track Cycling & Para Track Cycling, Artistic Gymnastics, 3x3 Basketball & Wheelchair Basketball, Boxing, Judo, Netball, Bowls & Para Bowls, Weightlifting & Para Powerlifting) 

Venues: Scotstoun Stadium (athletics), Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena & Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scottish Event Campus (SEC) 

Fourth time Scotland hosts (1970, 1986 Edinburgh; 2014 & 2026 Glasgow)

Experience Glasgow’s cultural scene

Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum 

Discover world-class art, historic artefacts and natural history displays. Highlights include Salvidor Dali’s, Christ of St John of the Cross, a real WWII Spitfire plane, ancient Egyptian artefacts and famous artworks by Van Gogh, Monet and Scottish artists all spread across 22 galleries. 

Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum 

Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) 

During the Games, make sure to catch Liquid Land. This large-scale exhibition runs from June until September 2026 and explores powerful global stories about identity and heritage. If you’re into your photography, Still Glasgow is a must-visit exhibition and showcases over 80 images that capture the city’s people, culture and changing identity over time. 

Enjoy a day out at the GoMA 

Glasgow Science Centre 

If you’re looking for something for all the family, make sure to add Glasgow Science Centre to your list. Inside, you’ll find hundreds of hands-on exhibits from trying out cool experiments and watching live science shows to exploring space in the planetarium. It’s also home to Scotland’s largest IMAX cinema, a great place to relax and watch a blockbuster film. 

Discover Glasgow Science Centre

Explore Glasgow outdoors

With summer in full swing, step into the fresh air and make the most of the longer, brighter days. Soak up the sunshine in Glasgow Green or Kelvingrove Park, where you can relax with a picnic and recap with friends or family on all the sporting action of the Games. If you’re looking to explore the city on two wheels, the River Clyde’s dedicated cycle path offers a smooth and mostly flat ride, keeping you away from busy traffic.

When is the best time to visit during the Games? 

This will entirely depend on the experience you’re after. The first weekend (23-25 July) offers the biggest buzz, with the opening ceremony kicking things off. If you’re looking for a quieter affair, visiting Glasgow midweek will give you more flexibility when it comes to booking places for a bite to eat and exploring some of the city’s top sights alongside the sporting action. Prepare for the final weekend (1-2 August) to be emotional with medal events galore and with the grand finale of the closing ceremony. 

Will there be an opening and closing ceremony? 

Yes, the opening ceremony will be staged at the OVO Hydro on 23 July 2026, and the closing ceremony will be held on 2 August 2026 with the venue still to be confirmed. 

Where are the fan zones? 

Although fan zones are expected to be announced in the next coming weeks, expected areas are likely to be the following: 

• Glasgow Green (main hub) 
• George Square & city centre 
• Areas around major venues (SEC, West End)