Set to welcome 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories between 23 July and 2 August, the Commonwealth Games return to Scotland under a radically different model—one shaped as much by necessity as by ambition.

For Phil Batty, Chief Executive of the Glasgow 2026 Organising Company, the compressed delivery timeline has created a rare opportunity.

“The permission to reinvent and reimagine the Games has been a gift,” Batty explained. “Major events take lots of different shapes and sizes, but often they don’t fit in the place they’re being hosted in. What we’ve done here is design the competition around Glasgow’s strengths and venues.”

From ‘one-size-fits-all’ to collaboration

At the heart of Glasgow 2026 is a decisive move away from the traditional “one-size-fits-all” model that has historically limited the Commonwealth Games to a small pool of host nations.

Instead, the event is built on a new “host collaboration agreement”, allowing cities to shape the Games around their own infrastructure, investment plans and strategic priorities.

James Bulley, CEO of delivery partner Trivandi, emphasised the importance of this shift:

“It’s not one-size-fits-all across every single event. You have to start with the city—its infrastructure, its investment plans, and what it wants to achieve from hosting the Games.”

“You’re collaborating with the local host city to work through the right plan, the right benchmark, the right blueprint for what they’re going to deliver.”

This approach not only reduces cost and complexity, but also opens the door for a far broader range of nations to host in future.

Supercharged sport and record inclusion

The Glasgow 2026 programme reflects this tailored philosophy. Ten core sports have been selected, six of which are fully integrated Para sports, creating a more focused and impactful competition.

The result is a series of “supercharged” events, including the largest-ever swimming and track cycling programmes in Commonwealth Games history.

Crucially, the Games will also deliver the largest Para sport medal programme in its 96-year history. In a symbolic first, the opening medal of the Games will be awarded in Para Powerlifting—placing inclusion at the centre of the event narrative from day one.

Batty believes this is fundamental to the future of the movement:

“If you want to be truly inclusive to the 74 nations and territories, you need a model that can work in all parts of the Commonwealth.”

A prototype for the future

Glasgow 2026 is widely seen as a “prototype” for what comes next. With future editions, including Ahmedabad, expected to adopt similarly flexible approaches, the Games are entering a new era defined by adaptability rather than scale alone.

Delivered at pace and built on existing infrastructure, the Glasgow model challenges long-standing assumptions about what major events should look like—and who they are for.

In doing so, it offers a clear message: the future of global sport will not be defined by size, but by relevance, inclusivity, and the ability to adapt to the needs of the communities it serves.