Glasgow closes 2026 Commonwealth Games, over to Ahmedabad

The 2026 Commonwealth Games concluded in Glasgow on Sunday, August 2, marking the end of a scaled-down, 11-day sporting event that organizers hope will serve as a sustainable blueprint for the future. The closing ceremony at the Ovo Hydro arena featured a performance by Scottish rock band Simple Minds and a formal handover to the next host city, Amdavad (Ahmedabad), India, which will stage the centenary edition in 2030.

The Games, which ran from July 23, featured approximately 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories competing across a 10-sport program that included six fully integrated Para sports. Officials utilized four existing venues across the city for the event, which was organized with an estimated budget of £160 million. This represented a significantly leaner model compared to the £778 million spent on the 2022 Birmingham Games. The event was only possible after Glasgow stepped in to host at short notice following the withdrawal of the Australian state of Victoria in 2024.

The final day of competition on Sunday featured 15 gold medal events, including the conclusion of the netball tournament where Jamaica faced New Zealand for the gold medal. Jamaica had secured...