The Commonwealth Games return today, Thursday, July 23, with the opening ceremony at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow. The multisport event runs until Sunday, August 2, and marks the first Games in Scotland since 2014.
Seventy-four teams will compete in the fourth Commonwealth Games held in Scotland. It is the first edition since Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022 and the first with Ugandan Donald Rukare as president of the Commonwealth Games Federation.
Opening ceremony details
The ceremony is the first Commonwealth Games opening ceremony to be held entirely indoors. Scottish singer KT Tunstall will headline, with other Scottish artists including Callum Beattie, Nina Nesbitt and Nathan Evans also performing. The Royal Family will attend, and the Red Arrows will perform a flyover.
Which countries are competing?
Unlike the Olympics, there is no Team GB. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland field separate teams. Gabon and Togo make their Commonwealth Games debut after joining the Commonwealth in 2022. Other notable nations include Australia, Canada, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda.
Key British athletes
Josh Kerr, fresh from breaking the mile world record at the London Diamond League with a time of 3:42.66, represents Scotland and seeks his first Commonwealth title. Adam Peaty competes for England in the 50m and 100m breaststroke, and possibly the 4x100m medley relay. He has four golds and three silvers at the Games.
Keely Hodgkinson is a notable omission from the England squad, having ruled herself out after pulling out of the UK Athletics Championships with a minor injury. She will focus on the European Championships in Birmingham in August.
Scotland's lineup includes Jake Wightman, Andrew Butchart (parkrun world record holder), Jemma Reekie, Laura Muir, Eilish McColgan, judoka Sarah Adlington, and swimmer Duncan Scott. For England, Louie Hinchcliffe and Zharnel Hughes race the 100m and 200m, Amy Hunt takes the women's 100m, Georgia Hunter-Bell drops to 800m, and Katarina Johnson-Thompson seeks a third consecutive heptathlon gold. Jamal Petgrave defends his +90kg judo title, and James Guy, Tom Dean, and Luke Greenbank are medal hopes in the pool.
Daniel Wiffen leads Northern Ireland's team, while for Wales, Jeremiah Azu contests the 100m, Emma Finucane stars in the velodrome, and Matt Richards competes in the 100m and 200m freestyle.
