SPORTS ministers from across the Commonwealth have agreed to strengthen co-operation and advocate for increased investment in sport as a tool for development, inclusion, health and peace.
The commitment was made at the 12th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, which concluded on Wednesday with the adoption of an Outcome Statement reaffirming the 56 member countries’ shared commitment to using sport to promote sustainable development and stronger Commonwealth co-operation.
The meeting was held ahead of the Opening Ceremony of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and brought together sports ministers, senior officials and representatives of the Commonwealth sport movement, including athletes, sporting bodies, youth representatives, civil society organisations and development partners.
Ministers called for dedicated funding, stronger partnerships and enhanced capacity-building to expand access to sport and physical activity.
They also urged greater investment in community sport, recognising its contribution to improved health, youth development, the empowerment of women and girls, job creation, innovation and sustainable economic growth.
Commonwealth Secretary-General, Shirley Botchwey, said sport should be viewed as more than competition and entertainment, highlighting its wider role in improving communities and creating opportunities.
“For too long, sport has been viewed primarily through the lens of competition or entertainment. But throughout the Commonwealth, we know that sport is also an investment in people and a powerful force for healthier communities, greater inclusion, stronger economies and sustainable development,” she said.
She said the commitments emerging from the meeting would help create opportunities for young people, advance gender equality and strengthen social cohesion across the Commonwealth’s 2.7 billion people.
The meeting was hosted by the Scottish Government and chaired by Scottish Minister for Sport, Maree Todd MSP, who emphasised sport’s contribution to health, confidence-building, social inclusion and economic development.
Todd also confirmed Scotland’s commitment to improving access to sport for women and girls through the signing of the Brighton Plus Helsinki 2014 Declaration.
The declaration, signed by the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Scottish Government, promotes greater participation by women and girls in sport and improved access to leadership and decision-making positions at all levels.
Its adoption reinforced the Commonwealth’s commitment to ensuring that sport is safe, inclusive and accessible to all.
The ministers also considered the future of the Commonwealth Games and the need for major sporting events to be delivered in more sustainable ways.
They described the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games as an opportunity to rebuild confidence in major sporting events, while identifying the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games in Malta and the centenary Commonwealth Games in India in 2030 as important platforms for developing young leaders and strengthening ties among Commonwealth countries.
The outcomes of the meeting are expected to inform discussions at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda in November 2026, as well as preparations for the 2027 Commonwealth Youth Games and the 2030 Commonwealth Games.
The meeting’s commitments are expected to provide a framework for expanded Commonwealth co-operation on sport, with ministers seeking to ensure that its benefits extend beyond elite competition to communities and individuals across member countries.