The Commonwealth Games 2026 will kickstart with the opening ceremony at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow on Thursday night.
The Hydro, which has a capacity of approximately 13,000, will witness the traditional parade from the 74 participating nations as well as live performances from numerous artists based out of the UK.
The mascot for this edition, Finnie the unicorn, is also set to be presented during the ceremony.
The lineup for the opening ceremony will include music artists like Tom Walker, best known for his song ‘Leave a Light On’ and also KT Tunstall, Callum Beattie, Nina Nesbitt, Valtos, Nathan Evans and Saint PHNX.
Former Scottish cyclist and six-time Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy will also make an appearance at the ceremony after revealing in October 2024 he was diagnosed with stage-four cancer.
“It is an absolute honour to attend the opening of Glasgow 2026. A home Games is always a special occasion and I have so many wonderful memories from competing in the Commonwealth Games myself.”
“I have no doubt the city of Glasgow will yet again be a superb host to what promises to be an exciting event and I very much look forward to being a part of it,” Hoy said on the eve of the ceremony.
King Charles and Queen Camila, who attended the opening ceremony of the Birmingham Games in 2022, and are also expected to be in attendance.
The Indian contingent will be led by weightlifter Mirabai Chanu as the flag bearer, while boxer Lovlina Borgohain will serve as the ceremonial baton bearer.
The opening ceremony will begin at 12:30 AM IST on July 24, Friday. The opening ceremony will be streamed live on the Sony LIV app and website and will be televised live on the Sony Sports Network in India.
Comments
Published on Jul 23, 2026