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  • 5 months ago
Legends Wanted: Glasgow 2026 Launches Search for More Than 3,000 Volunteers
The search is on to find more than 3,000 volunteers to provide the first hello and the final goodbye at Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, as the application portal opens today (16 September).






From supporting athletes on venue during competition, through to being a welcoming and friendly face to hundreds of thousands of spectators and media, volunteers will be at the heart of the action next year when the Games return to Glasgow from 23 July to 2 August.



Glasgow 2026 is calling for people to ‘Get In!’ and support the host city to bring the Games to life, encouraging former volunteers and first-time applicants from all backgrounds across Glasgow, Scotland and the UK to apply. It’s good news for those who turned 16-years-old by 1 September 2025 as the minimum age has been lowered.



No experience is necessary, and full training will be provided so that volunteers can help the Games run seamlessly. Glasgow 2026 is also offering support to those with barriers to digital access through a partnership with Glasgow Libraries and its DigiPals programme, and Volunteer Glasgow and Skills Development Scotland are hosting drop-in sessions to guide people through the application form.



To mark the launch of the volunteer portal Commonwealth champions and former volunteers came together with a Glasgow 2026 branded taxi, calling on the nation to ‘Get In’.



Emily Campbell, a Commonwealth and five-time European Champion and a double World and Olympic medalist. said: “From an athlete’s perspective, volunteers at major events, like the Commonwealth Games, bring the energy, the friendly faces and the passion that help us perform at our best.



“I’ve been fortunate to have had amazing interactions with volunteers over the years, and I’ve seen how they can truly transform the experience for both athletes and fans. Glasgow 2026 is a chance for people from all backgrounds to be part of something special and be right at the heart of the action. If you’ve ever thought about getting involved, now’s the time."



Volunteers are united by an identity and at the 2014 Games, the Clydesiders and hundreds of volunteers across the city were the stars of the show with many going on to volunteer at other major events in the city. A new name for Glasgow 2026 volunteers will be announced next year, shaped in collaboration with volunteers.



Cynthia Tjipuka, former volunteer, said: “Volunteering has been an unforgettable journey for me from COP26 to more recent events such the World Indoor Athletics Championships, and the UCI Cycling World Championships here in Glasgow. Each of these opportunities gave me the chance to meet incredible people, gain new experiences, and be part of moments that brought the city together on a global stage.



“That’s why I’m encouraging others to volunteer for Glasgow 2026 — it’s a once-in-a-lifet

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Transcript
00:00Music
00:13We saw in 2014 just how much volunteers contributed to the success of the Games.
00:17They're not only the friendly welcome, but they're also the fundamental part of the team that's helping deliver a Commonwealth sporting competition.
00:23We're really excited that today we're opening up applications for a new generation of volunteers.
00:27So we're hopeful that lots of people who volunteered in the city and across Scotland in the past will come back and join,
00:32but also will have some first-time volunteers as part of the team.
00:35From an athlete perspective, volunteers are crucial. If it wasn't for volunteers, we wouldn't be able to be given the safe space and the platform that we have to compete.
00:42And I think if we can try and emulate that and get as many people on board, I think we're looking for over 3,000 people to come and volunteer
00:52so they can showcase Glasgow, whether you're from Scotland or wherever it is, get along, get involved and be part of that legacy that hopefully 2026 will bring.
01:02The volunteers are such a huge part of the Games. I've been to two Games so far, so I've got first-hand experience of the impact that they can have.
01:09And, you know, it might be that you've had a hard training session or a bad game and just that energy and a smile from a volunteer from an athlete's perspective can make such a difference.
01:17It's been an incredible first nine months here in Glasgow. This is a city that is game-fit and match-ready for a Commonwealth Games.
01:23We've got fantastic facilities, we've got an amazing team, a wonderful supply chain and what we're seeing is actually an 18-month period to deliver the Games.
01:31Glasgow is one of the few cities on the world that can manage to do that.
01:34I was watching fellow Scotsmen compete and I thought I really want to be there one day and obviously that's kind of what kick-started my career in cycling
01:43and hopefully it will do the same for the youth, the next generation of young aspiring cyclists and hopefully that will spark a career like I had.
01:53And that's what the Games are all about, leaving that legacy for the next lot to try and fulfil.
01:59It's crazy, it feels like a full circle moment going from spectator to never thinking I'd make it and now the fact that Glasgow,
02:06like I was over the moon when I heard Glasgow were going to step in and save the day, didn't surprise me that Scotland did take that role on
02:12because you know we love to help out and being able to play in front of your home nation where you've worked for so long and done all the hard work
02:19and to reward our fans by now having this event is really cool.
02:23There's lots of work going on right now to design the opening ceremony for the Commonwealth Games.
02:27It's all top secret and we'll be announcing more of that earlier in the new year but lots to look forward to.
02:33An opening ceremony is always an amazing opportunity to showcase a city, showcase a nation and tell that story on a world stage.
02:40My smile probably says oh I can't tell you how much it meant to netball especially in Scotland right now for us to get selected and to be the only team sport
02:48like we take it as such a privilege and responsibility that we want to go out there and inspire the next generation.
02:53So we are over the moon and delighted and full steam ahead with our preparations.
02:58This is definitely a new era for the Commonwealth Games and the Commonwealth Sport Movement.
03:02We are doing things with an absolute focus on sustainability and inclusivity.
03:06That means using existing fantastic facilities to host the Games.
03:10It also means thinking differently about how we host athletes, how we move them around the city, how we use public transport to do that.
03:17So there is lots of work going on a way to make sure the social impact from these games is far greater than anything else has happened before.
03:23We are in talks with multiple broadcasters for the UK rights and that work is underway right now and we are confident that there will be news on that shortly from Commonwealth Sport.
03:32We have an opportunity here to show what Glasgow is all about again and from the experience of being in the crowd last time, the atmosphere that the Glaswegians brought and Scotland brought as a whole to cheering on the home crowd and also the home nations was massive.
03:48And I think if we can replicate that and really strive to be and showcase Glasgow for what it is, I think we'll have a really successful Games on our hands.
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