OVO Hydro will host the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games 2026 this summer, with organisers promising a “Clyde-built experience for the world”.
Taking place on 23 July, the ceremony will be the first in the Games’ history to be staged in an indoor arena rather than an outdoor stadium. Around 700 volunteer cast members will be recruited, with dancers, theatre performers, musicians and all-round performers encouraged to apply before the 24 April deadline, with auditions scheduled for 9–10 May in Glasgow.
Louisa Mahon, chief marketing and ceremonies officer for Glasgow 2026, said the event is “being designed to be experienced, not observed”, with a creative team including show and staging director Roxana Cole, choreographer Emily Jane Boyle and costume designer Carole Millar.
Organisers are inviting “passionate people from all backgrounds” aged 16 and over to take part, with no previous experience required, aiming to showcase the city’s communities and cultures on a global stage.
Glasgow 2026 will run from 23 July to 2 August, bringing together more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories competing across 10 sports and six Para sports. The last time the Games were held in the city, in 2014, the opening ceremony took place at Celtic Park.