- TNT to air 600 hours of live coverage from Glasgow
- BBC made bid but was unable to match WBD
- FTA highlights must be made available
TNT Sports has beaten the BBC to secure exclusive UK media rights to the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking the first time in the quadrennial event’s history that it will sit behind a paywall.
The Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) owned sports broadcaster will deliver more than 600 hours of live coverage on its HBO Max streaming service, due to launch in the UK in March, and via a dedicated TNT Sports linear channel.
The BBC has previously aired extensive live coverage of the event, which was held in Birmingham in 2022 and Glasgow in 2014. It had been speculated that the public service broadcaster’s (PSB) interest in the event had been waning amid budget considerations and the relative appeal of the Games.
The BBC did table a bid for the 2026 rights, but WBD’s offer was sufficiently lucrative enough for Commonwealth Sport to sacrifice the exposure promised by blanket multi-platform coverage on free-to-air (FTA).
Commonwealth Sport says the revenue from the deal, and the fact that a global media giant like WBD was interested in the rights, is further evidence that the future of the Commonwealth Games is now in a much healthier state than it was two years ago.
The future of the Games has been called into question after the withdrawals of nominated hosts Durban and Victoria from hosting the 2022 and 2026 iterations, and a lack of potential candidate cities.
Birmingham stepped in to host a successful 2022 event, while Glasgow will stage a scaled-down version after agreeing to host another Games with just two years to spare. However, there is now much greater interest from potential hosts, with India set to host the 2030 Games, seemingly as a test run to a 2036 Olympic bid.
“This is another landmark moment as we continue to re-imagine what a Commonwealth Games looks and feels like for athletes and fans alike,” said Kate Sadier, Commonwealth Sport chief executive.
“With a heavyweight broadcast partner like WBD onboard across the UK and Europe for Glasgow 2026 and the recent decision to award the 2030 Commonwealth Games to India, alongside strong interest for 2034, the future of our movement has never been more secure.
“Our partnership with WBD opens up exciting new ways for fans to connect with the action. With more events available live and a strong focus on athlete storytelling, fans will be closer to the Games than ever before.”
For WBD, the Games strengthens its multi-sport event credentials given it owns the European rights to the Olympic Games and airs world and European championships in many key Commonwealth Games events.
The Games will provide an anchor event for its schedule next summer.
“As a premium multi-sport broadcaster, we have a proven ability to connect sports fans and audiences with the world’s biggest sports events and their athletes,” said Scott Young, executive vice president at WBD Sports Europe.
“We will bring this storytelling heritage and production expertise to the Commonwealth Games where our coverage of Glasgow 2026 will be comprehensive, immersive and accessible.
“With coverage of every sport and athlete on our streaming platforms, we are confident our approach will celebrate the history of the Commonwealth Games while telling new stories of its competitors with unmatched energy and excitement.”
The Commonwealth Games is listed as ‘Category B’ on the UK government’s list of protected sporting events, which means FTA highlights must be made available, paving the way for the BBC to offer at least some coverage.
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