Australia's Victoria state has withdrawn as host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games due to a large enhance within the projected price of staging the occasion.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday mentioned his authorities final yr agreed to host the subsequent version of the quadrennial occasion "but not at any cost".

He mentioned they'd initially budgeted 2.6 billion Australian {dollars} (£1.4 billion) to stage the Games in 5 regional cities, however latest estimates put the potential price as excessive as 7 billion Australian {dollars} (£3.7 billion).

Andrews informed a information convention he'd notified Commonwealth Games organisers of his authorities's determination to tug out of the internet hosting contract.

"Today is not about finding fault with those cost estimates," he mentioned, declining to stipulate the explanations for the fee discrepancy.

"Frankly, 6-7 billion Australian dollars for a 12-day sporting event, we are not doing that - that does not represent value for money, that is all costs and no benefit."

The Games had been scheduled for 17 -29 March 2026 within the regional centres of Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat, Gippsland and Shepparton in regional Victoria.

The state authorities had promoted the multi-city mannequin as a recreation changer, with the 5 regional centres internet hosting 20 sports and 9 fully-integrated Para sports.

The authorities's web site had beforehand promoted Victoria 2026 as a showcase of "what makes the people of our state tick: our unity, our diversity, our sense of community, our welcoming attitude and our love of sport".

Birmingham stepped in to host the 2022 Games in England to switch Durban, South Africa.

Victoria state beforehand hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

The final version of the Games held in Australia was on the Gold Coast, Queensland state, in 2018.

The Gold Coast is a part of the southeast Queensland space that's scheduled to host occasions through the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.

Content Source: information.sky.com