BBC replaced by TNT Sports as Commonwealth Games live broadcaster

The BBC has been replaced by TNT Sports as the UK’s live broadcast partner for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The subscription channel outbid the BBC, which had been the main partner and provided free-to-air coverage since 1954 for 18 games in a row.

TNT Sports is part of Warner Bros Discovery and is best known for broadcasting UEFA Champions League matches as well as selected English Premier League matches.

The BBC said it was “unable to match” TNT’s offer to screen the games, which take place from July 23 to August 2.

TNT Sports said it would show more than 600 hours of live coverage in a “reimagining” of the games, which will feature 10 sports and six para-sports.

The broadcaster said all events would be broadcast on HBO Max, which will launch in the UK and Ireland in March.

Scott Young, executive vice president of Warner Bros Discovery Sports Europe, said its coverage would be “comprehensive, immersive and accessible.”

He added: “We are confident that our approach will celebrate the history of the Commonwealth Games while telling new stories of its competitors with unrivaled energy and enthusiasm.”

Phil Batty, chief executive of Glasgow 2026, said the deal would bring more hours of sports coverage to the games “than ever before”.

He added: “This broadcast partnership, secured by Commonwealth Sport, reflects our shared ambition to bring Games coverage to new and growing audiences.”

The Commonwealth Games are classified as a protected event under the Broadcasting Act.

This allows live coverage on subscription television, as long as some secondary coverage is offered to free-to-air broadcasters.

The BBC said it would continue talking to Glasgow 2026 organizers about showing as many of the Games as possible across its platforms.

A spokesperson said: “The BBC has been proud to broadcast the Commonwealth Games for many years, but our bid was unable to match the financial offering in the market.

“We wish them much success for next year.”

Glasgow was confirmed as the venue in September last year after the Scottish Government backed a deal.

A scaled-down version of the event, with fewer sports and athletes, will return to the city 12 years after it last hosted the Games in 2014.

The Australian state of Victoria was originally chosen to host the multi-sport event, but withdrew as host due to rising costs.

Australian authorities promised “a multi-million dollar investment” to help finalize the deal.

The 23rd edition of the Games will host 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories between July 23 and August 2.

They will compete for 215 gold medals at stake over 10 days and 133 sports sessions.

The BBC will be disappointed not to broadcast full live television coverage of the Commonwealth Games.

But the biggest problem is not the fact that BBC Television will not have live coverage.

It comes down to the fact that the games will not be broadcast live in their entirety on any major free-to-air television channel.

A major sporting event on a free-to-air television channel, such as the BBC, ITV or Channel 4, can bring together large numbers of viewers from disparate backgrounds.

Next year’s World Cup matches between Scotland and England are sure to attract big ratings, even late into the night.

The BBC has shown live wall-to-wall coverage of every Commonwealth Games held in the United Kingdom since 1970.

Its association with the event dates back even further, although extensive coverage was not always possible.

For example, in 1966 the BBC could only provide nightly filmed highlights of the Jamaican Commonwealth Games.

But it has also helped make recent matches in the UK – Manchester in 2002, Glasgow in 2014 and Birmingham in 2022 – seem like special moments for the host cities.

In 2014, the BBC hosted a wide range of cultural events outside BBC Scotland headquarters in Glasgow during the games.

Several network programs were broadcast from Glasgow, not just the coverage of the Games.

These are Commonwealth Games on a scaled-down scale. Glasgow will host them at short notice, with no public funding and organizers will want to raise as much income as possible.

Despite organizers’ attempts to generate excitement, the event feels very different this time around.

There is no talk of a lasting legacy for the city, from new buildings or important sports facilities to public health benefits.

There will still be highlights on a terrestrial TV channel and some live coverage on a major channel may still be possible.

But without full live coverage on a channel that everyone can watch for free, will there be the same sense of wider public participation or a sense that the Games are a special moment for Glasgow and Scotland?