Joel Ajayi
With just nine days to the opening of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, preparations in Team Nigeria’s camp have gathered momentum as athletes and officials intensify their final build-up for the multi-sport event.
The Nigerian contingent has now been fully constituted, while athletes have begun receiving their camping allowances as part of ongoing efforts to ensure their welfare and enable them to focus entirely on preparations ahead of the Games.
Several Nigeria-based and overseas athletes have already converged on the United Kingdom for the country’s pre-Games training camp. Among those who have arrived are United States-based sprint sensation Kayinsola Ajayi and other members of the athletics team, who have immediately settled into training.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s 3×3 basketball team, currently holding a training camp in Amsterdam, Netherlands, has stepped up its preparations by playing the first of two scheduled international friendly matches. The friendlies are designed to fine-tune the team’s tactics and match fitness before they link up with the rest of Team Nigeria in Scotland.
More athletes and officials are expected to arrive in Aberdeen over the weekend, completing the country’s delegation ahead of the official opening of the Games on July 23.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games, scheduled to run from July 23 to August 2, will bring together elite athletes from across the Commonwealth for 11 days of high-level sporting competition across multiple disciplines.
Team captains and officials have expressed confidence in the team’s readiness, describing the atmosphere in camp as positive, focused, and highly motivated.
According to them, Nigerian athletes remain determined to give their best, uphold the country’s rich sporting tradition, and compete for podium finishes as they seek to make the nation proud on one of the world’s biggest multi-sport stages.
