Australia's Gold Coast offers to host 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria tracks back on bid

Gold Coast has stepped in to make a bid for hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria pulled out over budget issues.

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate told the Australian press that the city still had the infrastructure from the 2018 Commonwealth Games in place and could fill in for Victoria, news agency Reuters reported.

“The facility and the legacy facilities that we’ve had here are maintained to the highest level,” Tate was quoted as saying by Reuters.

“It’s easier to say no when you don’t have the facts, because then you expose yourself to many things, but I’ve got more of the facts than most because I was host of the 2018 Games,” he added.

“I know the budget and I know it can be done.”

Read | No CWG in 2026? What happens as Victoria pulls out as host

Earlier, Victoria Premier Dan Andrews said the cost of the Games, which were to have been held in four regional hubs, could blow out to more than AU$7 billion from a budgeted AU$2.6 billion if they went ahead.

The Gold Coast mayor, however, also called for the Queensland state government to support the city to cover the funding gaps. He asserted that his city had “all the boxes ticked” for the state government “to say yes easily”.

Mayor Tate’s proposal also received the backing of Athletics Australia.

“As witnessed in 2018, the Gold Coast demonstrated its remarkable ability to host a Games of exceptional quality and one that left a profound impact on Australian sport,” Athletics Australia in a statement.

“With an opportunity to make an impact on athletes aiming for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we firmly believe that the city is in a unique position to step forward and preserve the spirit of the Commonwealth Games.”

Australia is the most successful country in Commonwealth Games history and has hosted five of the last 22 editions of the event.

Brisbane, a city north of Gold Coast is already hosting the 2032 Summer Olympics.