Commonwealth Games 2026: opening ceremony in Glasgow – live

Glasgow’s Hydro hosts ceremony at 8pm BST/5am AEST Bookmark the medal table | The last hurrah? | Mail Daniel We’ve had some bad news today: Katarina Johnson-Thompson has withdrawn from the Games with injury, while Dina Asher-Smith and Matt Hudson-Smith are also out. We were already missing Keely Hodgkinson, Oblique Seville Letsile Tebogo, Collen Kebinatshipi and Julien alfred.

Few cities in the world boast an identity a well-defined as Glasgow, its character defined by a love of storytelling and celebration, kindness and aggression, wit and resilience, related with a glorious poetic profanity. And if, to that, we add an international sporting event in need of a boost, we have the perfect combination and the perfect tonic now we’re bereft of Wimbledon, World Cup and the golfing majors. You might not think we need this, but I promise you: we need this.

It wasn’t actually meant to be such. Originally, the Games were to take place in Victoria, Australia but, as costs spiralled, the state government pulled out, then so too did Gold Coast, Queensland, the initial replacement. So it’s off to Glesga we go, for a scaled-back affair featuring 10 not 19 events, para sport and able-bodied sport fully integrated into an intense week-and-a-bit of sensation and nourishment, joy and despair – and it all begins roundabout now.