Commonwealth Games: A look at budget of every CWG edition between 2002 and 2022

The state of Victoria (Australia) has cancelled the Commonwealth Games 2026 citing a blowout in projected costs, posing a massive threat to the future of the quadrennial multi-sporting event.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said his government last year agreed to host the next edition of the multi-sports event, "but not at any cost." He said his government initially budgeted AD 2.6 billion ($1.8 billion) to stage the competition in five regional cities but recent estimates put the potential cost as high as AD 7 dollars ($4.8 billion).

The 21st Century has so far witnessed six Commonwealth Games being hosted in six different cities in the UK, Australia and India. While Australia have been the host twice, the UK have played host to the competition three times.

India organised this sporting event for the first time ever in 2010. Let us take a look at the expenses of every edition of CWG since the start of this millennium.

CWG 2002: Manchester

The CWG 2002 were held in the city of Manchester and the iconic Manchester Stadium (now called Etihad Stadium the home ground of Manchester City FC) hosted athletics, rugby, etc. The total expenditure and budget of the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games varied depending on different sources, and the figures may not be readily available or accurate.

However, the estimated budget for the Manchester Commonwealth Games was around £200 million (approximately USD 300 million). This budget covered various aspects, including infrastructure development, venue construction, operational costs, marketing, and security.

CWG 2006: Melbourne

The total expenditure and budget of the 2006 Commonwealth Games held in Melbourne, Australia, were approximately AUD 1.1 billion. This budget covered various aspects such as infrastructure development, venue construction, operational costs, marketing, security, and other associated expenses.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne - lauded as the 'best Commonwealth Games ever' - were considered one of the most expensive in the history of the event. The budget primarily consisted of funding from the government of Victoria, the Australian federal government, and corporate sponsorships.

The CWG 2006 boosted the Gross State Product in Melbourne. A KPMG analysis of Melbourne CWG 2006 found the event prompted an increase in Gross State Product of about $1.6 billion over 20 years and employment of about 13,600 jobs.

CWG 2010: New Delhi

The Commonwealth Games 2010 were held in New Delhi. The initial total budget for CWG 2010 was estimated at INR 16.2 million (US$200 million) by the Indian Olympic Association in 2003 for hosting the Games. However, in 2010, the official total budget soon escalated to an estimated INR 115 billion (US$1.4 billion).

As per Business Today magazine, the cost of the quadrennial multi-sport event was INR 700 billion (US$8.8 billion), making it the most expensive CWG Games ever.

CWG 2014: Glasgow

The 2014 Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow, Scotland where an estimated £575 million (approximately USD 770 million) were spent. The funding for CWG 2014 came from multiple sources, including the Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council, the UK government, ticket sales, and sponsorships.

The event was considered a significant investment for the city of Glasgow and aimed to leave a lasting legacy in terms of sports infrastructure and economic benefits. The budget covered various aspects of the event, including infrastructure development, venue construction, operational costs, marketing, security, and other associated expenses.

CWG 2018: Gold Coast

The 2018 Commonwealth Games were held in the Australian city of Gold Coast - for the second time this century. The sports-related costs of the 2018 Gold Coast Games were estimated to be AUD 1.5 billion (USD$1.2 billion).

CWG 2022: Birmingham

Originally, Durban (South Africa) was supposed to become the first African city to host the multi-sport event. But financial troubles and missed key deadlines forced the South African city to drop out and CGF shifted it to Birmingham. The bid committee, at the time of submission of the bid to the CGF, had announced that the event would cost £750 million.

The British Government announced that the event will cost around £778 million of which the British Government pledged to cover 75% (£594 million) and Birmingham City Council covered the rest 25% (£184 million). The budget was lower than the £967 million spent on the Gold Coast 2018 but higher than the £543 million spent on the Glasgow 2014.

It is important to note that the financial figures may have been revised or adjusted over time, and obtaining the precise and updated expenditure details for a specific event from many years ago can be challenging.