Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games starts Friday 24 July on Seven and 7plus

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Seven – The Seven Network will bring the XXIII Commonwealth Games to Australian viewers live, free and exclusive from Friday, 24 July on Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport.

The 10-day event brings together more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations. Its streamlined 10-sport program includes athletics, swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and Para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and Para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and Para bowls, 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball.

Seven says the Games will feature more than 200 gold medals. It will also include the biggest track cycling and swimming programs ever seen at a Commonwealth Games, with 26 medal events in the velodrome and 56 in the pool.

Viewers can stream up to 15 exclusive live and free channels on 7plus Sport. In addition, the service will carry eight replay channels, full event replays, minis, highlights, interviews, a medal tally and sport pages for favourite events.

Bruce McAvaney sets the scene

Bruce McAvaney OAM leads Seven’s athletics coverage and opens the media kit with a powerful reminder of Australia’s connection to the Commonwealth Games. He notes that Australia is one of only six nations to have competed at every Games and remains the most successful country in the event’s history, with more than 1,000 gold medals across almost a century.

Over the 22 Commonwealth Games we’ve only once finished outside the top three nations and that was at the very first one in 1930. In fourteen of those, we’ve been the most successful nation. That’s a remarkable record that illustrates our enduring and special relationship with the Games.
Bruce McAvaney

McAvaney says Glasgow 2026 will look different because Scotland is delivering a streamlined Games. However, he believes it still preserves the qualities that make the Commonwealth Games unique. He also says Australia has a genuine chance of returning home with 50 gold medals, despite only 10 sports being on the program.

The Australian stories to watch

One of the major athletics stories will be the return of the Commonwealth Mile, which replaces the 1500m for the first time in 60 years. McAvaney links the event back to the 1954 Miracle Mile between John Landy and Roger Bannister, and points to Birmingham hero Olli Hoare and 20-year-old Cam Myers as two Australians who could shape the race in Glasgow.

The pool will also carry major Australian storylines. Lakeisha Patterson becomes the first Australian female swimmer to compete at four Commonwealth Games, while Mollie O’Callaghan and Kyle Chalmers enter with a chance to move into rare company on the all-time Games gold medal list.

In track cycling, Seven highlights the sprint showdown between Australia’s Leigh Hoffman and Matthew Richardson, who now represents England after winning Birmingham 2022 team sprint gold for Australia. Scott McGrory calls Hoffman the Australian star to watch.

The athletics program also includes major Australian hopes in the men’s sprints, Jess Hull in the women’s mile and 5000m, Matt Denny in the discus, Nina Kennedy in the pole vault, Peter Bol in the 800m and Kurtis Marschall in the pole vault.

Seven’s host and commentary team

Seven’s coverage will be led by Matt Shirvington, Emma Freedman, Mel McLaughlin, Jason Richardson, Johanna Griggs, Matt White, Rebecca Maddern, Trent Copeland and Lizzie Jelfs.

McAvaney will call the athletics program from Scotstoun Stadium with Tamsyn Manou, Jason Richardson and David Culbert. In swimming, Ariarne Titmus joins Seven as pool deck reporter, with Giaan Rooney, Annabelle Williams and lead swimming caller Alister Nicholson on commentary.

Catherine Cox and Kim Green will call the netball as the Australian Diamonds defend their Birmingham 2022 gold medal. Kate Bates and Scott McGrory will lead the track cycling commentary, while Clive Adams and Lynsey Clarke cover bowls and Para bowls.

Seven’s reporters in Glasgow include Katie Brown for Sunrise, plus 7NEWS reporters Tom Sacre, Kate Massey and Xander McGuire. Emma McKeon and Sally Pearson will also join Sunrise during the competition to analyse the biggest Australian stories.

Broadcast schedule

Prime time from 7.00pm to 11.30pm AEST: Matt Shirvington and Emma Freedman lead Seven’s nightly coverage, including swimming, athletics, cycling, medal moments and live athlete interviews from Glasgow.
Late night from Glasgow: Mel McLaughlin and Jason Richardson join viewers from the host city with nightly coverage and guests.
Overnight from 11.30pm to 3.30am AEST: Lizzie Jelfs and Trent Copeland cover key event windows across swimming, Para-swimming, powerlifting, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and more.
Early mornings from 3.30am to 7.30am AEST: Johanna Griggs and Matt White present the major gold medal moments each morning.
Afternoons: Rebecca Maddern hosts daily highlights from the Games.
Sunrise begins at 5.30am weekdays, with Weekend Sunrise from 7.00am and 7NEWS at 6.00pm each night.

How to watch

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games begin with the Opening Ceremony from 4.45am AEST on Friday, 24 July. The Closing Ceremony airs from 4.45am AEST on Monday, 3 August. Glasgow is nine hours behind AEST.

Seven says the daily broadcast will run across Seven, 7mate and 7plus Sport. Daily coverage across Seven and 7plus Sport begins from 3.00pm and continues through to 7.30am AEST. Viewers should check local guides for broadcast details.

On 7plus Sport, viewers can stream every sport live and free, build their own viewing experience with 15 live channels, add favourite sports to a watchlist, and catch replays, minis, trending highlights and on-demand action.

Must-see Games moments

Friday, 24 July: Opening Ceremony from 4.45am AEST, followed by a big first night in the pool for the Australian Dolphins, men’s team gymnastics and Hani Watson in Para powerlifting.
Saturday, 25 July: Mollie O’Callaghan chases a world record in the 200m freestyle final, Georgia Godwin returns in artistic gymnastics, and the Diamonds face Tonga.
Sunday, 26 July: Cam McEvoy targets the 50m freestyle final and the Diamonds meet England in netball.
Monday, 27 July: Athletics begins, Kyle Chalmers starts his pool campaign, and five artistic gymnastics gold medals are on offer.
Tuesday, 28 July: Sprint night features Lachlan Kennedy in the men’s 100m final, Chalmers in the 100m freestyle, and Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson in the high jump.
Wednesday, 29 July: Cam Myers runs in the men’s mile, Lakeisha Patterson races in the pool, and McEvoy and Chalmers meet in the men’s 50m butterfly final.
Thursday, 30 July: Track cycling begins, the Diamonds face Northern Ireland, and Australians compete in bowls and weightlifting.
Friday, 31 July: Nina Kennedy jumps for gold in the women’s pole vault, with seven track cycling gold medals also up for grabs.
Saturday, 1 August: Peter Bol, Cam Myers and Kurtis Marschall headline a major athletics night, with track cycling, netball semi-finals, bowls, boxing and judo also in action.
Sunday, 2 August: The final night of competition includes six track cycling gold medals, judo, bowls finals and netball bronze and gold medal matches.
Monday, 3 August: The Closing Ceremony airs in the morning, before Glasgow: The Golden Games looks back on Australia’s campaign on Monday night.

Seven and 7plus Sport

Seven’s Commonwealth Games coverage will also extend beyond the main broadcast. The 7NEWS.com.au Commonwealth Games hub will carry daily live blogs, medal tally and results widgets, schedules, breaking news and interviews. Seven’s social channels will use @7Sport, #G2026 and #Glasgow2026 across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.

For more Commonwealth Games coverage, visit TV Central’s Commonwealth Games section. Stream the Games through the official 7plus Commonwealth Games hub.