THE dates for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in regional Victoria have been locked in.
The Games will be held between March 17 and 29, 2026, with the opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan said it was a significant moment for the dates to be confirmed.
“We’ve locked in the dates for the Commonwealth’s finest athletes to compete for gold in regional Victoria at the 2026 Games,” Ms Allan said.
“We’re getting on with delivering this global sporting event and including more sports will draw more of the Commonwealth’s finest athletes to our own backyard to inspire Victorians.’’
Commonwealth Games Federation president Dame Louise Martin said she was looking forward to seeing how the regional Victoria Games took shape.
“We are delighted to see the dates confirmed for Victoria 2026 so that athletes, sports and fans start to prepare for a spectacular sporting competition,” she said.
Despite the dates being confirmed, the process remains open for additional sports to be added to the program.
The opening ceremony will be followed by 12 days of competition between the best athletes in the Commonwealth.
In a Commonwealth Games first, Victoria 2026 will introduce a multi-city model that delivers global sport to four regional hubs in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland.
Each of those hubs will have its own athletes’ village and host a range of sports that will create a legacy for Victoria that extends well beyond the competition period.
The state government said it would work with the education sector in relation to the school term dates that year to ensure the participation of as many Victorians in the Games as possible.