Australia’s free-to-air Seven Network has secured exclusive media rights in the country to the 2026 and 2030 editions of the Commonwealth Games multi-sport event.
The linear Seven Network, as well as the broadcaster’s 7Plus OTT platform, will disseminate coverage of the games, it was announced over the weekend. This agreement covers linear broadcast, streaming, radio, and social media coverage as well.
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This extends Seven's time as the Commonwealth Games' broadcaster in Australia, with the network having also aired the 2022 edition.
The 2026 edition of the games will take place in Glasgow, UK, from July 23 through August 2, and will only feature 10 different sports (as well as para-iterations of six of those sports) staged across four venues.
This is because Victoria, Australia (the original host of the event) pulled out of its commitment, forcing a short-term solution with Glasgow hosting a scaled-down running of the quadrennial games.
Athletics (track and field), swimming, artistic gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls, and 3×3 basketball will all be staged, alongside para-track cycling, para-athletics, para-swimming, para-powerlifting, para-bowls, and wheelchair 3×3 basketball at the scaled-down games.
Previous favorites such as hockey, rugby 7s, and all racquet sports, however, have not been selected for logistical reasons.
Australia is the most successful country in the history of the Commonwealth Games, having won more medals than any other country in games history, and led the medal table at the 2022 edition of the games.
Particularly, the country dominates in swimming, sweeping six different swimming podiums at the 2022 games, and as such, with swimming to return in 2026 with the biggest swimming program in games history (56 medal events), Seven could attract significant interest in the success of the national team.
Speaking on the deal, Commonwealth Sport chief executive Katie Sadleir stated: “Seven has been a strong supporter of the Commonwealth Sport Movement and this new agreement underlines the significance and standing of the Commonwealth Games in one of our biggest markets and its continued huge appeal to the Australian public.
“Seven’s long-term commitment shows the belief our valued commercial partners have in our reimagined Games model, with Glasgow 2026 a bridge to the Games of tomorrow – an important first step in our journey to reimagine and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future; one that minimizes costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact.”
The host selection for the 2030 edition of the Commonwealth Games is currently underway after Alberta, Canada also pulled out of its hosting commitment, and most recently India has thrown its hat into the ring to stage the event.
