Family Ticket Costs Exceed £300 for Most Events
Commonwealth Games organisers have been accused of pricing out families after it emerged two adult and two child tickets for most events will cost over £300. Attending the opening ceremony on July 23 at the Hydro arena will cost an eye-watering £332 for the cheapest available seats, a Sunday Mail probe has found. Meanwhile, a day at Scotstoun Stadium to watch the athletics finals, or a session of swimming at the Tollcross International pool, came in at £316.
Political Criticism and Calls for Affordability
Scottish Labour sport spokesperson Irshad Ahmed criticised the pricing, saying: “The Commonwealth Games will be a fantastic opportunity to engage the next generation and inspire youngsters to take part in sport and live healthy lifestyles. However, these ticket prices will deter many families who will be unable to afford them. I would urge organisers to get round the table and see what steps they can take to make the Games more affordable to working families.”
Organisers Defend Pricing Structure
Games organisers have insisted that prices start at £12 for non-medal events for some sports, with a set of four tickets to watch boxing available for £58 when checked last week. However, the top-priced ticket for an athletics medal event is £150 for adults and £113 for children and seniors — meaning a family of four could spend more than £500 for a single event. Many boxing and artistic gymnastics tickets are around £125 per head, while basketball seats are priced at £85.
Comparison to 2014 Glasgow Games
The prices are significantly higher than when Glasgow last hosted the Games in 2014, when two-thirds of tickets cost £25 or less. Phil Batty OBE, Chief Executive at Glasgow 2026, said: “The response we have seen from fans has been phenomenal. Since tickets first went on sale, hundreds of thousands have been snapped up across all sports, all categories and all price points. When we developed our ticketing pricing plan, it was important that the process was fair and accessible. We carried out a comprehensive review and comparison process of other major sporting and entertainment events in Glasgow and internationally, and we are confident that our ticket prices are in line with comparable events.”
Free Alternatives and Games Overview
Batty added: “We want families to come along to the Games, discover a new favourite sport and enjoy a memorable day out together. This summer’s programme offers a wide range of world-class sporting action at great value, including Netball, 3x3 Basketball and Wheelchair Basketball and Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting. We also have our free, family-friendly Game On Live Site in the heart of the city at Kelvingrove Park, providing the perfect way for everyone to soak up the atmosphere of the Games.”
The Games were due to be held in Victoria, Australia, but organisers there unexpectedly withdrew after costs hit £3.13 billion — far more than the £1.4 billion they had expected to spend. Organisers believe the scaled-back Glasgow Games can be delivered for just £114 million, with the majority of funding coming from the £100 million compensation paid by the Australians. The UK Government has agreed to a “ringfenced contingency” fund of up to £2.3 million, to be used only if existing budgets and contingencies “have been exceeded and all efforts to reduce costs have been exhausted”. The Games will feature 10 sports across four venues, with around 500,000 tickets released in total.
