News Beat
TNT Sports lands major sporting event in ‘landmark moment’ with fans set for 11-day feast of action
TNT SPORTS has acquired the rights to broadcast next summer’s Commonwealth Games.
The streaming channel will become the first platform other than the BBC to ever broadcast the Games in the United Kingdom.
The Beeb had shown the event since its launch in 1954, showing 18 Commonwealth Games in total.
But after the BBC were outbid by TNT Sports, the Games will be taken off free-to-air TV for the first time.
Every event will be available to watch via streaming platform HBO Max, which is set to launch in the UK in March.
This means that more than 600 hours of sport will be available to paid subscribers across the 11 days of action.
The Games are set to take place in Glasgow, who stepped in at the 11th hour to replace original hosts Victoria, Australia.
Around 3,000 athletes will descend upon Scotland for the scaled-back event, which will feature 10 sports and six para-sports.
In July it was reported that a deal between the BBC and Commonwealth Games was”some way off”.
Some within the Beeb felt a “declining appetite” for the event – despite Birmingham 2022 gathering 28 million viewers.
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According to The Times, the BBC did table an offer to show the event – but were outbid by TNT Sports.
The Beeb could yet agree a deal with TNT to show a highlights programme.
Upon today’s announcement, Commonwealth Sport CEO Katie Sadleir said: “This is another landmark moment as we continue to re-imagine what a Commonwealth Games looks and feels like for athletes and fans alike.
“With a heavyweight broadcast partner like Warner Bros. Discovery onboard across the UK and Europe for Glasgow 2026 and the recent decision to award the 2030 Commonwealth Games to India, alongside strong interest for 2034, the future of our Movement has never been more secure.
“Our partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery opens up exciting new ways for fans to connect with the action.
“With more events available live and a strong focus on athlete storytelling, fans will be closer to the Games than ever before.”
Warner Bros. Discovery is TNT Sports’ parent company.
‘A BOLD RE-IMAGINING’
On their addition to the fold, Glasgow 2026 CEO Phil Batty added: “It is great to welcome Warner Bros. Discovery to the Glasgow 2026 family of broadcasters as the new home for the Commonwealth Games in the UK and Europe.
“In Scotland, we committed to a bold re-imagining of the Games, innovative, future focused and with sports fans at the centre of the action.
“The partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery will celebrate our athletes, embrace new content formats, and drive more hours of sport coverage for the Commonwealth Games than ever before.
“This broadcast partnership, secured by Commonwealth Sport, reflects our shared ambition to take coverage of the Games to new and growing audiences.
“With significant investment into the breadth and depth of content to be platformed for Glasgow 2026, we are hugely excited by the opportunity to collaborate with the talented team at Warner Bros. Discovery.
“This is a Games for a new era of Commonwealth Sport, and this partnership sets us up for an incredible showcase of sport in Glasgow next summer.”
The event is set to take place between July 23 and August 2, 2026.
