Reports emanating from the athletics community at the Paris Olympics suggest agreement has been reached on Glasgow’s bid for the Commonwealth Games in 2026.

Glasgow will be confirmed as the host city for a scaled-back Commonwealth Games. The plan for the international event includes a two-year turnaround with a budget of £130-150million. The Commonwealth Games Federation would provide £100million, while the remaining funds would come from tickets, sponsors, and broadcasting.

Around 10 sports would be offered during an 11 day competition in July or August 2026. Athletics and swimming are the two mandated sports with the other eight to be determined after consultation with the CGF.

The last time only 10 sports were competed in at a Commonwealth Games was in 1994. Glasgow hosted 17 sports in 2014 while the most recent Games in Birmingham in 2022 featured 20 sports.

Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Ian Reid laid out a timeline for the announcement that suggests we will hear a decision in the next week. "We are continuing to work away on it - I think there is an opportunity," he told BBC Radio Scotland.

"I am not part of the decision making process - I am on the other side of the table. But, at the same time, I am really positive that we've got a really interesting proposition and something few others could deliver given the venues, the people and experience we've got."

Duncan MacKay, founding editor of Inside The Games, currently at the Paris Olympics, shared on X this evening: “Some good news for the Commonwealth Games, I am hearing. Multiple people have told me during the Olymics at Paris that the CGF have reached an agreement with Scotland for Glasgow to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games. They will replace Victoria, who withdrew last year. An announcement is due shortly after the end of these Olympics - maybe even this week.”

Bowlers compete in the morning session at Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre during day one of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in July 2014. | Getty Images

placeholder image — Bowlers compete in the morning session at Kelvingrove Lawn Bowls Centre during day one of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in July 2014. | Getty Images

Last month, the Commonwealth Games Federation told GlasgowWorld through a spokesperson: ''We are making every effort to finalise discussions on the 2026 Commonwealth Games. We require further time and assurances, though, to complete a Host selection process being run at an unprecedented pace.''

Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host in July last year because of rising costs throwing preparations for the games into disarray.

Commonwealth Games Scotland submitted a bid to host a games in 2026 with a core programme of sports that would involve "no significant ask of public funds", down from the 20 sports in competition at Birmingham in 2022.

The delayed announcement comes after First Minister John Swinney warned “time would not be on our side”. Speaking to The Scotsman, the First Minister said: “We had a tremendously successful Commonwealth Games in 2014 - it was a celebration of sport within Scotland. However it was planned over a number of years.

“We’ve got to look carefully at the propositions that have been put to us about the possibility of hosting another Commonwealth Games. Obviously time would not be on our side to prepare for that, but we’ll be engaging constructively on that.”

“We have six years of preparatory time in relation to 2014. While I am as enthusiastic as the next person about sporting events and the significant benefit they can bring to the country, we’ve got to ensure they can be done properly.”

A feasibility study was commissioned in December 2023 to assess Scotland's viability as a cost-effective alternative host, following the CGF's decision to make available £100m to host nations for a 2026 Games as part of the Victoria settlement agreement.

The Federation said: "We are satisfied that the concept developed could see a refreshed format for the Games, that would see it be delivered on time and on budget, providing significant benefit to the Scottish economy and a potential blueprint for a sustainable Games model of the future."

Health Secretary Neil Gray said in Holyrood earlier this year that cash from the Commonwealth Games Federation, plus “commercial income” from the event, could cover costs.

Asked if Glasgow would “potentially” be hosting the 2026 competition, Mr Gray said the Commonwealth Games are “a hugely important event to Scotland and Scottish athletes”.

Adding that the federation is looking to “reset and reframe the Games”, he added: “Commonwealth Games Scotland have confirmed they are looking at a potential hosting solution in Glasgow, if an alternative host cannot be found.”

SNP backbencher John Mason asked if there would be “any public money going into this at all”.

Mr Gray told him the model being put forward by Commonwealth Games Scotland “proposes a significantly reduced budget, in the region of £135 million with funding drawn, £100 million of investment from the Commonwealth Games Federation plus commercial income, and not from the public purse”.

He added that if Scotland is seen to be the “only viable option” for hosting the Games, “additional information and assurances” would be sought before the Government supports the idea.