Less prestigious than the Olympics but much more of an occasion than the various international governing bodies’ world championships, the Commonwealth Games has its roots in the past but its eyes on the future.
74 Commonwealth Games Association member states, spanning Europe, Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, the Americas and Oceania, are participating at Glasgow 2026, many of which barely get a look-in on the global stage.
For instance, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Brunei, the Cayman Islands, the Cook Islands, Eswatini, the Gambia, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, the Maldives, Malta, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Seychelles, Sierra Leone, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu are yet to win Olympic silverware, yet they’re being strongly represented at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Eyeing their first Commonwealth Games silverware in Scotland this summer are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Brunei, Eswatini, the Falkland Islands, Gabon, Gibraltar, the Maldives, Montserrat, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Sierra Leone, Togo, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
It’s this scarcity of acclaim that makes the event so special, so read on as we explain how to watch the Commonwealth Games for free in the UK.
Can you watch Commonwealth Games for free in the UK?
Yes. S4C and BBC Alba are each providing free Commonwealth Games coverage in the UK, with live streaming available via BBC iPlayer. However, the catch – and it’s a big one – is that S4C and BBC Alba are, respectively, Welsh-language and Gaelic-language channels.
Another free-to-air option is 5, which is airing a nightly highlights show.
Extensive free Commonwealth Games coverage, meanwhile, is available in many countries around the world, with the best English-language options being 7Plus in Australia and CBC Gem in Canada.
Free-to-air ThreeNow in New Zealand is also showing select events from Glasgow 2026 live.
Spending time in the UK from Australia, Canada or New Zealand? You can use a VPN to watch the Commonwealth Games for free as if you were right at home.
Use a VPN to watch any Commonwealth Games 2026 stream
A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.
Why is the BBC not showing the Commonwealth Games?
The Commonwealth Games are being shown on the BBC – just not in English. As explained above, Glasgow 2026 is free-to-air on S4C in Welsh and BBC Alba in Gaelic.
Both channels can be live streamed on BBC iPlayer.
The English-language rights to the Commonwealth Games belong to TNT Sports, which requires a subscription, the cheapest and most flexible option being HBO Max.
Plans start at £25.99 per month, with rolling subscriptions available at £30.99.
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/K5ABKFRUacWqXDeLu8j9W3-1920-80.jpg
Source link
