On what date did Victoria cancel its 2026 Commonwealth Games plans?

Victoria cancelled its plans to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games on 18 July 2023.

The Victorian government had agreed to host the event across regional centres including Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and the Latrobe Valley. The Games were originally scheduled for 17–29 March 2026, with Melbourne’s MCG intended for the opening ceremony and Kardinia Park in Geelong for the closing ceremony.

The cancellation followed a major cost escalation. Victoria had initially budgeted about A$2.6 billion, but the projected cost rose to approximately A$6–7 billion. Premier Daniel Andrews said the state could not justify spending that much on a 12-day event and planned to redirect some funding toward regional sporting facilities and housing.

A common mix-up is 17 September 2024, the date Glasgow was announced as the replacement host. That later decision did not cancel Victoria’s plans; it resolved where the Games would be held after Victoria withdrew.