Major sporting event facing TV blackout for first time in 70 years with BBC yet to agree deal to show spectacle

Published on July 24, 2025 at 06:55 AM

THE BBC are yet to agree a deal to broadcast the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games next summer.

Dating back to 1954, the have been the primary UK home of .

Finnie the unicorn mascot at a Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games photocall.
Games chiefs this week unveiled their mascot, Finnie the Unicorn

BBC chiefs agreed a deal to broadcast the 2014 Glasgow Games three years in advance.

While terms were struck in 2020 to show the 2022 Commonwealth Games from Birmingham.

Despite their long history with the event, the BBC have themselves confirmed that “an agreement is still some way off”.

Terms are yet to be agreed, with some within the Beeb feeling that there is a “waning appetite” for the event.

The 2026 Games were originally supposed to be hosted by Victoria, Australia.

The Aussie bid was selected in August 2022, but local government pulled the plug just 11 months later due to concerns over costs.

In September last year it was confirmed that , with Victoria still picking up £100million of the costs.

The scaled-back event will feature just 10 sports and six para-sports - with venues reused from the 2014 Games.

Glasgow 2026 chief executive Phil Batty said of broadcast discussions: “This week we have just announced Sky New Zealand as one of our broadcast partners.

“We also have Channel 7 in Australia, and there will be news on a UK broadcaster later this year.”

The 11-day event is set to run between July 23 and August 2.

Around 3,000 athletes are expected to compete in Glasgow, in sports including athletics, 3v3 basketball, boxing and swimming.

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