Malaysia has reportedly been offered $127 million to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, but even that hefty incentive might not be enough for the nation to accept the proposal.
Last July, the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as the host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to rising costs. Now the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) is putting forward a massive investment to secure a replacement in time to avoid postponing the quadrennial competition altogether.
The CGF said that the $127 million of “financial and strategic support” is available to any potential host in the wake of Victoria pulling out, with one spokesperson telling Inside the Games that the organization is in “advanced, confidential discussions with potential hosts.”
“With the existing world-class facilities, Malaysia is well-equipped to host an international event of Commonwealth magnitude involving 74 Commonwealth nations and territories,” said Mohamad Norza Zakaria, president of the Olympic Council of Malaysia and the Commonwealth Games Association of Malaysia. “The hosting will involve minimal Government spending and bring significant socio-economic benefits to the country. It will also elevate the standard of Malaysia sports much like the way it did in the aftermath of the 1998 Games. To this end, the CGF and CGA Malaysia have offered an attractive proposal to the Government of Malaysia.”
CGF officials said Malaysia boasts a “fantastic track record” from hosting the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. But the plan is already receiving some pushback among Malaysian officials.
“The Commonwealth Games is not a major, marquee sporting event,” former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said. “In terms of multi-sport games, it is nowhere near the Olympics or even the Asian Games in terms of participation, exposure and revenue, so the potential for monetization and spillover benefits for the host country will be minimal.”
The next edition of the Commonwealth Games was initially scheduled for March 17-29, 2026 — almost exactly two years from now.
“Two years is really a short time to organize this big event,” said Suhardi Alias, sports commissioner at the Ministry of Youth and Sports. “If we fail, we will look like a bunch of clowns.”
Ramlan Abdul Aziz, former director-general of the National Sports Council, spoke out in support of the CGF’s proposal: “If we study carefully there is no big risk involved, especially with the injection of funds from the CGF.” Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim‘s government will ultimately have the final say on the matter.
Unlike the Olympics, which were postponed by one year from 2020 to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Commonwealth Games has never been postponed and has been held every four years since the inaugural edition in 1930, other than in 1942 and 1946 when they were canceled due to World War II.
The Commonwealth is a community of more than 70 countries and territories, most of which were previously part of the British Empire. The only material benefit is being asked to compete in the Commonwealth Games.
The two most recent additions in June 2022 were Gabon and Togo, both Francophone African nations. Along with Rwanda and Mozambique, they are among four countries without any strong historical ties to the United Kingdom or other members of the Commonwealth.
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