Will Africa save the Commonwealth Games? Not impossible. Without a host country for the 2026 edition, the body in charge of the multisport event (CGF) could have found the solution to its torments. It would be African.
The Ghanaian Minister of Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif, assured during a television interview that his country had demonstrated last month, by organizing the African Games in Accra without a false note, its ability to aim for a notch in the -above. And why not host the Commonwealth Games in 2026.
« We have the facilities to host the Commonwealth Games, and it won't cost us much compared to what it cost us to host the African Games, he suggested. The Commonwealth Games Federation even donates money to the host nation (a contribution of 100 million pounds), unlike the African Games where the organizing country must cover all expenses. If we decide, Ghana could therefore welcome them. »
At this stage, the Ghanaian minister's words do not yet sound like a firm and assumed decision. A declaration of intent, nothing more. But Mustapha Ussif gave them some weight by specifying that the president of the CGF, Chris Jenkins, had recently visited Ghana to discuss the project with the authorities and check its feasibility.
« The Commonwealth Games President was in Ghana recently, we had several meetings with him, assured the minister. He visited our facilities for the African Games and was impressed. They want an African nation to host the Games"
Probably not a coincidence: Mustapha Ussif's declarations come shortly after the announcement by the CGF, on its website, of an interest shown by several countries in organizing the 2026 edition. Obviously, Ghana is in fact part. It might even be the most motivated of the lot.
In the same communication, the CGF assured that the name of the host country for the 2026 edition, initially attributed to the Australian state of Victoria, would be announced next month.
Since their creation in 1930, under the name of the British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games have visited Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania, but never before Africa.
