The Commonwealth Games baton has been passed to regional Victoria, which has 1315 days to prepare for the opening ceremony on March 17, 2026.
The handover occurred during the closing ceremony of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, featuring a digital animation artwork by three regional First Nations artists brought to life in the stadium and a celebration of the best of regional Victoria, including performances by Vanessa Amorosi, Baker Boy and Geelong singer-songwriter Taylor Henderson.
The showcase was seen in the stadium and by a huge worldwide audience.
It is estimated the Commonwealth Games will contribute more than $3 billion to the Victorian economy, creating more than 600 full-time jobs before the Games, 3900 during the Games and a further 3000 jobs beyond the closing ceremony.
“The baton has now been passed from Birmingham to Victoria and will super-charge the delivery of a sensational Commonwealth Games to be hosted by regional Victoria in 2026,” Commonwealth Games Delivery Minister Jacinta Allan said.
“It has been fabulous seeing the success of the Australian team — especially the 15 athletes from regional Victoria. It gives a real sense of what we can expect in less than four years.”
It is 1945 days since then-Greater Shepparton Mayor Dinny Adem stood at Victoria Park Lake to announce the ‘‘People’s Games’’ bid concept, which was met with some scepticism, but quickly gained traction with the 11 regional councils drawn together for the bid.
The original vision was to stage the 2030 Games, with Shepparton the host city for a number of sports, including athletics at a new stadium, lawn bowls and squash.
Other possibilities included men’s basketball and triathlon, and rowing at Nagambie.
‘‘Bringing the sport to the people, not the people to the sport,’’ is how Cr Adem described the bid during the launch event on April 12, 2017.
The regional Commonwealth Games has become a reality sooner than expected, but the official countdown to 2026 has begun, with Shepparton still unclear about what role it will play.
“The announcement was a big thing, it put us on the international stage and that was our aim, to put all of the regions on the world stage,” Cr Adem said on Tuesday.
“I do feel we have been short-changed in the process; we are still advocating strongly to get some events, the whole council is, the whole community is.”
The games will be held from March 17 to 29, 2026, beginning with the opening ceremony at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Victoria 2026 will introduce a new model delivering sports to four regional hubs in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland. Each hub will have its own athletes’ village and host a range of sports, creating a legacy for Victoria that extends well beyond the competition period.
The Victorian Government has promised the Games will see major investment in community infrastructure, including housing and world-class sports facilities, leaving a legacy of affordable housing for the regions and modern sports infrastructure to encourage Victorians to get active and attract future major events.
Regional Victoria will host a program of cultural and business engagement experiences, highlighting the Commonwealth Games’ values of humanity, equality and destiny — and embracing Victoria’s rich diversity and cultural history.
A Victoria-wide program of live sites and activities will ensure visitors are welcomed in every corner of the state, with the Queen’s Baton Relay to traverse the regions in the weeks leading up to the opening ceremony.