Opening ceremonies mark the official commencement of a major sporting event and Glasgow will be showcasing Scottish music talent as they launch the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Glasgow has a lot to live up to after Birmingham closed the 2022 Games with a grand finale that featured a surprise performance by the legendary Ozzy Osbourne, who was accompanied by former Black Sabbath lead guitarist Tony Iommi.
It's hoped the Opening Ceremony will set the tone for a hugely successful Commonwealth Games after Glasgow inherited hosting duties with just 20 months to prepare following Victoria's unexpected withdrawal.
Here's everything you need to know for the 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Date & Time
The 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony will start at 19:00 (BST) on Thursday 23rd July.
Venue
The 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony will be held at Glasgow's OVO Hydro.
First opened in 2013, the iconic venue is the fifth largest entertainment arena in the UK and has hosted some of the world’s biggest music stars and acts.
The Hydro has a capacity of approximately 13,000.
Performers
Glasgow 2026 officially announced their first set of performers for the Opening Ceremony in early July with Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall confirmed as the headline act.
Tunstall, who hails from Edinburgh, is a BRIT award winner and earned fame from one of her early singles, "Suddenly I See".
She will be accompanied by Scottish musicians Callum Beattie, Nina Nesbitt, Nathan Evans and duo Saint PHNX, fresh from their World Cup anthem success with "Home".
It was later announced that Kilsyth's Tom Walker will also perform at the Opening Ceremony.
The 34-year-old rose to fame after the release of his hit single "Leave a Light On", which peaked at number seven on the UK Singles Chart in 2018. He won Best Breakthrough Act at the 2019 BRIT Awards.
Parade of Nations
The Parade of Nations is a key feature of the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.
Like in the Olympics, athletes bearing the flags of their respective nations will lead their national delegations around The Hydro.
As per tradition, the host of the previous Games will enter first, meaning England will be the first nation to emerge. The current hosts, Scotland, will enter last.
Following England, all nations will be paraded in alphabetical order from their respective regions.
The Parade of Nations will be soundtracked by electronic-trad band Valtos, who have teamed up with a number of musicians from across the Commonwealth to soundtrack the ceremony.
