The stadium will be host to the athletics during the scaled-back version of the Commonwealth Games
With the 2026 Commonwealth Games officially set for Glasgow, Scotstoun is poised to take centre stage as it hosts the athletics in the scaled-back event.
Known for its distinctive blue track, the stadium plans to expand its current capacity from 4765 to accommodate between 10,000-11,000 spectators with temporary seating.
The decision to host the Games in Glasgow comes after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew due to rising costs.
Glasgow 2026 will stage track and field but no marathons
Glasgow has a strong track record in hosting the event, having successfully managed the Games in 2014 with the athletics taking place at Hampden.
Hampden accommodated 40,000 athletics fans while the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham welcomed 30,000 for the Games in 2022.
Scotstoun’s more intimate setting will be a unique atmosphere as the smaller version of the Games will be distinctly different.
Scotstoun Stadium (Getty)
AW spoke with Jon Doig OBE, the Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation Scotland at the official launch of the Games in Glasgow. He said: “We have been working on this for just under 12 months, looking over it in terms of the concept and if we could go through and deliver it.
“The earliest thing we had to look at was athletics and whether we could deliver athletics in Scotstoun Stadium and the answer we got back in terms of feasibility was yes.
“We have obviously already got a main stand at Scotstoun but the rest of the seats will be wrapped around with temporary seating.
“The temporary seating will take the number to 10,000-11,000 and in that aspect we can create an absolutely brilliant atmosphere when the athletes are competing and running around.”
Dwain Chambers (Getty)
The stadium holds a historic legacy in athletics that dates back to the late 1890s, when it first hosted cross country events.
From 1903 to 1913, the Scottish National Cross Country Championships took place annually at Scotstoun, with the exception of 1907, when they were held in Portobello, Edinburgh.
It has also been the home of Victoria Park AAC since its foundation in 1930.
Since its renovation with the all-weather track in the mid-90s, the stadium has hosted numerous prestigious events.
The British Milers’ Club held grand prix meetings at the stadium in 1999, 2000 and 2001, attracting top athletes from across the UK.
International events were also held, including in 2000 when Great Britain & Northern Ireland took on the USA, in 2003 it was Great Britain & Northern Ireland v USA v Russia and, in 2005, the same three nations challenged each other again.
The stadium also welcomed the Scottish Senior Championships from 2001 to 2007, along with various other competitions, including the Combined Events Championships (2002) and the Masters Championships (2006).
The last major event that was held at the Glasgow stadium was the Norwich Union Glasgow Grand Prix in 2007. In 2014 the stadium was used as a training venue for the Commonwealth Games.
Kelly Holmes (Getty)
Today, Scotstoun remains the home of Victoria Park AAC, but it also shares the space with Glasgow Warriors rugby club, which has taken a prominent role in recent years.
The focus on rugby has limited the staging of large-scale events, as the Warriors require exclusive access for their fixtures, often setting up temporary stands on the track.
However, the announcement of Scotstoun as the host for the 2026 Commonwealth Games could signify a shift in this trend. As Doig says: “Scotstoun has a very long history of athletics and it has been there for over 100 years in different ways and hosting international events.
“It is great that we can bring athletics back to the stadium and hopefully we will be able to leave a legacy there as well for athletics.
“It will be a completely different Games compared to 2014, we are in different times but it will still be exciting and a world-class event. This is a reset and re-imagination.
“This will not only inspire the athletes who are competing to get good performances but it will also inspire the youngsters who will be in the crowds feeling inspired.
“We’ve had a number of our athletes that were in the stands in 2014 now making Scottish and GB teams so we look forward to that stimulus being there in the future.”
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