The Commonwealth Games 2026 are nearly upon us but before the action can begin, there is the small matter of the opening ceremony.
Glasgow’s OVO Hydro plays host to the celebration of the 74 territories and the sporting spectacle that they are set to take part in this summer.
The organisers have promised that the opening ceremony “will be unmistakably Glasgow” and “unlike anything the Commonwealth Games has produced before”.
They added: “With incredible dance and performance, headline acts, breathtaking visuals and the arrival of all 74 Batons, the audience will be surrounded by icons and heroes of the Games from the very first moment.
“At its heart is the story of Glasgow – irrepressible and cool, emotional, hilarious, creative and proudly loud, brought to life by a creative team whose work spans the world’s biggest live shows.”
It sounds like an event worth tuning in for and there are plenty of ways for UK viewers to watch.
Radio Times brings you all the TV coverage details for the Commonwealth Games 2026 opening ceremony.
How to watch the Commonwealth Games 2026 opening ceremony on TV
Fans can tune in to watch the Commonwealth Games 2026 opening ceremony on TNT Sports 2 or for free on 5.
The ceremony, which is due to start at 8pm on Thursday 23 July, takes place at OVO Hydro in Glasgow.
There will also be Gaelic coverage of the opening ceremony on BBC Alba from 8pm.
TNT Sports has the full live rights to Glasgow 2026 and will show more than 600 hours of events across the Games but as part of a deal with the broadcaster, there will be free-to-air coverage of the opening ceremony and a nightly highlights show on 5.
There are multiple ways to get TNT Sports. If you already have BT Broadband, you can add TNT Sports to your existing contract from just £18 per month. You can add the ‘Big Sport’ package for £40 per month which includes all TNT Sports and 11 Sky Sports channels via a NOW pass.
Live stream Commonwealth Games 2026 opening ceremony online
UK viewers will be able to tune in to watch the Commonwealth Games 2026 opening ceremony on TNT Sports via HBO Max or online for free at channel5.com.
You can watch TNT Sports via a HBO Max sport pass without signing up to a contract.
Regular subscribers can also stream matches on a variety of devices including laptops, smartphones and tablets via the HBO Max app.
HBO Max is the new streaming home of TNT Sports, showing events including live Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, Premiership Rugby, UFC, Boxing and MotoGP. Learn more here: hbomax.com
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Authors
Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.
