New Zealand considers bid for Commonwealth Games

The athletes of New Zealand enter the stadium during the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at the Alexander stadium in Birmingham, England (Source: Associated Press)

New Zealand is considering a bid to host the 2034 Commonwealth Games, following the recent changes to the Games' hosting model.

New Zealand has previously hosted the Games in 1950, 1974 and 1990.

The announcement was made by the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Grant Robertson, who said that New Zealand has a proud record of hosting world-class international events like the Cricket World Cup, Rugby World Cup, and World Masters Games.

The Commonwealth Games, which are held every four years, are a multi-sport event for athletes from the Commonwealth nations.

Robertson said that the next steps in the process will be for the New Zealand Olympic Committee to assess the level of support for a New Zealand bid and to consider the country's capability to host the event.

He emphasised that it is still early days, and further work needs to be done to understand New Zealand's position before making a formal bid.

The Minister also highlighted the importance of the Commonwealth Games for New Zealand's athletes, saying that last year's Games in Birmingham demonstrated the value of the event for our sportspeople to get a chance to compete at a multi-discipline international event outside of the Olympics.

"I am excited at the prospect and potential for us to host it here," Robertson said.

"Kiwis really got behind our athletes, and it was a fantastic event both in Birmingham but also for people back here watching and supporting our team."

Robertson also confirmed that he had consulted with the National Party about the process for indicating interest in hosting the 2034 Games, and that there was cross-party support for the approach.

If New Zealand decides to bid for the 2034 Commonwealth Games, it will join a growing list of countries that are considering hosting the event, including Australia, Canada, India, and Malaysia.

The host city for the 2034 Games is expected to be announced in 2026.