We’re at the business end of the World Cup, but an amazing summer of sport will continue long after the golden trophy is lifted. Part of that is the Commonwealth Games 2026. These begin on 23rd July, running until 2 August. TNT Sports is home of the live coverage, while 5 as free-to-air highlights.
“I think the Commonwealth Games are very complementary towards our multi-sport coverage, particularly alongside things like the Olympic Games,” Scott Young, EVP WBD Sports Europe, told me last week.
Tech is a key part of that output. TNT Sports used drones to great effect during last year’s Winter Olympics, and I wondered how the use of tech will continue. Young said “there’s two two very simple mantras I sort of talk about which aligns technology and storytelling. And that is take me there and make me care.”
Explaining, he said:
The closer that we can take the audience to the field of play to feel like they are alongside the competition, the more immersed you feel you are in that sport.
Continuing, Young said the drones at Milano-Cortina, used to best effect in the Sliding Centre, helped audiences feel like they are actually going down the track. “Us mere mortals will never normally get a chance to do that,” he said. “So we we push our own technology ambition, we also push sporting bodies to try and continue to innovate as fast as new technology comes through.”
Streaming service HBO Max is key to Commonwealth Games 2026 broadcasting. “It’’s at the centre of our entire coverage plan,” said Young. “The ability for us to be able to broadcast every moment of these games and showcase every medal of these games is thanks to the power of HBO Max.”
The streamer will offer features like multi-screen and gold medal alerts, allowing viewers to jump between key moments. Before anyone starts complaining about the cost, as they did with the Winter Olympics, access to the coverage will be available across all HBO Max plans, not just the TNT Sports plans. This means you can watch it for £4.99.
TNT Sports Reveals Commonwealth Games 2026 lineup
Young was speaking as TNT Sports announced the faces that will lead its coverage of the Commonwealth Games 2026. There are some fantastic names in there. My personal favourites include Sir Chris Hoy and Dame Sarah Storey, who are on cycling duty. Beth Tweddle is one of those covering gymnastics. Rhys McClenaghan will join her from the competition itself. The always enjoyable Ade Adepitan is in the reporting team.
Most of those figures will be in Glasgow, the Scottish city hosting the games. Some will not be, though. Young doesn’t think this is a problem.
“It depends on the concept around remote production,” he said. “If you are going to be as immersive as we are, right, then there is a new approach taking place to commentary. And as you’ll see with different broadcasters, being on site, being in venue, isn’t always necessarily the best experience. It’s having access to all the feeds, it’s having access to all the data and it’s being able to deliver every moment.”
After the TNT Sports’ Ashes experience, I’m not totally convinced…
While the Commonwealth Games undoubtedly plays second fiddle to the Olympics, there is always some exciting sporting action there. How can there not be, when English athletes are taking on Australian ones? Don’t put those England flags away just yet!
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