Families in Scotland are finding themselves priced out of attending the Commonwealth Games due to ticket prices that have skyrocketed to as much as £150 each.
According to the Glasgow 2026 website, ticket prices for the Games start at £12 for non-medal events but can climb into the hundreds for highly sought-after competitions like swimming and athletics.
For these medal events, adult tickets are priced at a steep £150, while tickets for children and seniors are set at £113.
This means that a family of four, comprising two adults and two children, would need to spend a staggering £526 for just one event.
Events such as boxing and artistic gymnastics are also costly, with tickets priced at £125 each. Meanwhile, basketball tickets are £85, and judo tickets are £50.
Critics argue that these prices are unreasonable, especially given the rising cost of living, and warn that they could negatively impact the games’ legacy.
Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet, Britain’s biggest online network for parents, said: ‘Parents on Mumsnet have been taken aback by the high-ticket prices for the 2026 Commonwealth Games, especially when you consider the cost of taking the whole family.
‘It’s understandable that many families on a budget just can’t justify spending that much but it’s a shame that children – particularly those living locally – might miss out on the chance to experience it firsthand because of the cost’.
Tickets for the Commonwealth Games initially went on sale to what Glasgow 2026 said was ‘strong demand’ from fans.
Usain Bolt with delighted fans after the 4x100m relay final in Glasgow, 2014
Teacake-toting dancers at the 2014 opening ceremony at Celtic Park
The Scottish team at the Glasgow 2014 opening ceremony
However, many buyers could not ignore the stark contrast in their price with 2014, when the city last hosted the Games and organisers implemented the ‘Games for Everyone’ strategy, ensuring two-thirds of tickets were £25 or less.
Among those left bitterly disappointed is father-of-three Neil White, 41, who recalled attending the 2014 women’s weightlifting event for a fraction of the current cost.
Mr White, from Perthshire, had hoped to take his wife and three children next year, given their love of gymnastics and athletics, but says he has simply been ‘priced out.’
He said: ‘I can’t remember the exact pricing of the 2026 tickets, but daytime events were around 60 to 70 pounds for an adult, and then a child was maybe only £10 less.
‘And it would be my wife, me and our three children attending the Games plus any kind of meal we might have – so costs add up.
‘We are a normal, middle-class family and we just can’t afford to spend five or six hundred pounds for a family of us to go to the Games.
‘We are all quite disappointed – but just can’t justify the cost of paying that much for tickets. I ended up saying to my wife, “we’ll just watch the Games on TV.”’
Mr White, a forest manager, says his family will instead travel to Birmingham for the European Athletics Championships, which takes place from August 10 to 16 next year.
He said: ‘For all five of us to go – my wife, myself and our three children – I think the total was like £120.
‘Kids tickets were a notable difference from the Commonwealth Games – junior tickets for my teenagers were only £5. That was what I was expecting the price range of Commonwealth Games tickets to be.
‘Even though we need accommodation for Birmingham, it will ultimately be cheaper for us to travel there than stay in Glasgow.’
In total, approximately 500,000 tickets have been released for the event set to take place next summer. Nevertheless, the Scottish Conservatives have claimed that many Scots ‘won’t want’ to pay such steep prices.
Tory MSP for Glasgow, Annie Wells, said: ‘Hard-pressed Scots are already feeling the pinch thanks to high bills under the SNP and Labour, so won’t want to have to break the bank for Commonwealth Games tickets.
‘Many will have fond memories of the 2014 event in Glasgow and will be keen once again to soak up the atmosphere across the city.
‘However, with Rachel Reeves planning more tax hikes, some people will feel they have little option but to give the games a miss.
‘The games should be something everyone in Glasgow can afford to enjoy but that is being made even harder by Scotland’s two high-tax governments.’
Despite the backlash, Glasgow 2026 has defended its pricing.
Phil Batty OBE, Chief Executive of Glasgow 2026, said: ‘The response we have seen from fans has been phenomenal with tens of thousands purchasing tickets across all categories and for all sports.
‘In developing our ticketing plan, it was important that the process was fair and accessible.
‘We carried out a comprehensive review and comparison process of other events in Glasgow, Scotland and further afield and we are confident that our ticket prices and quantities available in all categories, are in line with other similar events.’
