The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have returned to screens, but viewers are far from pleased with TNT Sports' coverage. The exclusive live rights, acquired by TNT Sports after outbidding the BBC, have ended the broadcaster's 72-year streak of live coverage, and audiences are voicing their frustration.
Coverage complaints flood social media
Fans have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to criticise the amount of studio commentary and lack of medal ceremonies. One wrote: 'This general coverage of the Commonwealth Games on TNT/HBO is dreadful. Too much chit chat in the studio and it doesn't focus on an event for long.' Another added: 'It's one thing for TNT to put the Commonwealth Games behind a paywall, it's another to do so and still have such s*** coverage – four TV channels and they're broadcasting the same coverage of the same event on just two of them, and the adverts are so intrusive and so relentless.'
A third viewer called it 'a shambles', while someone else said: 'Adverts after almost every race, cutting back to the studio constantly for pointless chat, missed one whole semi-final. I could go on...' A fifth echoed: 'The @tntsports coverage of Commonwealth Games is appalling. Adverts, interviews but very little actual sport. What's the point?'
Games scale back sports
The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games, first held in 1930 as the British Empire Games, features ten sports – a significant drop from the 17 in Glasgow 2014. Hockey and racket sports were dropped, while athletics, swimming, track cycling, netball, boxing, 3x3 basketball and judo remain.
Despite the backlash, some fans celebrated the event's return. One noted: 'I love the #CommonwealthGames because it's the only large scale sporting event that people from small countries or large who would never qualify in other events get to compete on a world stage against world class athletes and in the UK we don't realise how important it is outside.' Others shared posts saying 'The joy of sport' and 'Loving the #CommonwealthGames2026 #swimming. I love that the CG has the para games alongside the main games.'
Coverage is available via TNT Sports, HBO Max and Channel 5.
