GLASGOW is in the global spotlight once again. With the Commonwealth Games in 2026 we’ve yet another fantastic opportunity to showcase our city, our people and our renowned hospitality.

Glasgow is known the world over for successfully hosting the big event and the boost to our profile and economy from continuing to do so makes us the envy of so many of our peers. I’ve no doubt that in two years’ time we’ll again rise to the occasion. We always do.

Glasgow 2026 won’t be a re-run of the Games of 2014, though. Back then, our city needed the Games. This time, it’s fair to say the Games need Glasgow. 

READ NEXT:Concerns as homelessness goes up while housebuilding falls

The Commonwealth Games of a decade ago were one of the defining moments in the history of modern Glasgow, kicking off an era for Glasgow as one of the world’s leading events cities and acting as a catalyst for regeneration in an area neglected for generations.

(Image: Richard Heathcote)

Seven years and many hundreds of millions of pounds in the making, projects like the Athletes’ Village, Emirates Arena and new Dalmarnock Station began – though did not complete – an ongoing transformation of that part of the east end.   

But the route to Glasgow 2026 is very different, and so is the context in which we’ll host the Games.

It’s rare for a city not to bid for an event but instead to actually be offered funding to help deliver it.

Because of our record and experience, the Commonwealth Games Federation has come to Glasgow to save and reinvent its flagship event. And to do so within an incredibly tight lead-in time and a fraction of the budget of before.

READ NEXT:More children need help with explicit deepfakes says charity

Since the last Games, large-scale events are now a regular part of life in Glasgow, from the inaugural multi-sport European Championships, to the truly global COP26, UCI World Cycling Championships and World Indoor Athletics Championships earlier this year. Major events are now part of what we do.

The 2014 Games were probably the last example of the one-off ‘big bang’ approach to post-industrial Glasgow’s regeneration. Their 2026 successor will take place in a city where new homes, infrastructure and industries are constantly emerging right across the city, with the Council, housing associations, universities, businesses and communities all working in partnership to make better places.

(Image: PA)

The city centre, for example, will soon see a massive acceleration in public realm investment, including in George Square. Glasgow 2026 will be a focal point for our ongoing transition, not the catalyst for it.

The unsubtle attempts by some politicians to use the Games for their own political ends hasn’t gone unnoticed. The constant talking down of the city by the likes of Anas Sarwar really is the worst kind of scorched earth politics. I welcome any politician from any party who wants to engage with the City Council to sincerely understand Glasgow’s successes, challenges and opportunities. But Labour’s constant misrepresentations make it impossible to believe they have anything but their own narrow and partisan interests at heart.

Meanwhile, those of us who are invested in delivering a successful Games are pressing on with the preparations. An immediate priority is to begin working with business to ensure they’re ready to grasp the opportunities of 2026. Our business community is a critical Team Glasgow ambassador and has a frontline role in the build-up to 2026, helping to project a vibrant and welcoming city to the world.

I understand better than most the apprehension felt by some about Glasgow stepping in to save the Games and what a scaled-back event might look like. After all, no-one wants to tarnish the memories of that fantastic fortnight a decade ago.

But Glasgow can deliver a much more sustainable model of the Games, which could be replicated in  Commonwealth countries who don’t have the wealth of the UK, Canada or Australia but who would truly benefit from hosting an international sporting event. And in doing so we can continue to maintain Glasgow’s unprecedented global profile, delivering benefits to our city and a thrilling two weeks of sport for Glaswegians and the world to enjoy.