Squash will acquire AUD $2.36 million, while netball will receive AUD $9.4 million for the Commonwealth Games 2026.
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Lawn Bowls, netball, and squash in Australia are set to receive a AUD $17 million investment. This is in order to better prepare for the Commonwealth Games 2026 to be held in Victoria. The Australian Government and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) have revealed the financing commitment aimed at ensuring Australia leading the medal tally in all three sports at the 2026 edition of the mega event in Victoria. The funding for Lawn Bowls has been increased by 59% to AUD $5.6 million. This implies that the sport will receive the largest funding in comparison to others. Squash will acquire AUD $2.36 million, while netball will receive AUD $9.4 million for the Commonwealth Games 2026.
Australia claimed the most medals at Commonwealth Games 2022, with 67 golds, 57 silvers, and 54 bronzes. They conquered the Commonwealth Games for the 11th time in the past 14 years. At Birmingham 2022, three of the gold medals came in lawn bowls. Aaron Wilson captured the men’s singles competition. While Ellen Ryan took the women’s singles competition before teaming up with Kristina Krstic to claim the women’s pairs championship. Australia reclaimed the netball title in Birmingham 2022 after being defeated in the final in the Commonwealth Games 2018, held in Gold Coast, Australia. In squash, Australia couldn’t win a single medal at the Birmingham 2022. However, they are on the same page as England with most medals (11) in the history of the games.
Craig Phillips, the CEO of Commonwealth Games Australia, appreciated the extraordinary financial pledge in support of Victoria 2026. “For all sports, certainty in funding is what provides for appropriate planning and delivery ahead of competition on the world stage. Our hope is that this bold, early investment continues for all Victoria 2026 program sports. To top the medal tally in Birmingham, it took the combined efforts of 19 sports. All our member sports will need appropriate levels of investment,” Craig added.
Earlier, the Australian federal government and the Queensland state government committed a combined A$7.1 billion ($4.9 billion) investment in new and renovated venues ahead of the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane. The proposed 17,000-seat sports venue, Brisbane Arena, would get A$2.5 billion from the federal government for development. The Queensland government will cover the A$2.7 billion reconstruction of the Gabba cricket field. The two governments will split A$1.87 billion in co-funding for sixteen new or renovated venues on a 50/50 basis. After Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000, Brisbane will become the third Australian city to host the Summer Olympics.
Read more: Summer Olympics: Which are the confirmed/likely countries to host the future editions?
