There were mix results for the Pacific contingents of the first day of competition as the 2026 Commonwealth Games got underway in Glasgow, Scotland, early on Friday morning.
Bowling rolled off hours before His Majesty King Charles III officially declared the 23rd Games open inside the OVO Hydro, the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games that an opening ceremony was staged entirely within an indoor arena.
The opening matches saw the Pacific Island bowlers losing their first round games, but there victories also.
Tonga’s Liam Hill lost 2-0 to New Zealand’s Shannon McIlroy, losing 10-2 in the first set and 15-3 in the second, in the men’s singles.
Niue’s Frederrick Tafatu followed and also lost 2-0 to North Ireland’s Gary Kelly. He lost 13-1 and 8-3 in both sets.
Hill and Tafatu will meet in round two.
But Fiji’s Rajnesh Prasad capped off the day with a win. He beat England’s Sam Tolchard in a tie-break, after the two players were tied 1-1 after the two sets.
Prasad won the first set 8-3 but lost the second 7-6. He later won 1-0 in the tie-break to claim victory.
He faces Jamaica’s Robert Simpson in his second game.
In the women’s pairs, Tonga and Fiji recorded early wins.
Tonga defeated South Africa in an exciting clash, taking the tie-break after a tight finish over two sets.
The Tongan pair of Paris Baker and Milika Nathan won the first 7-4 over the South African pair of Thabelo Muvhango and Jacqui Janse van Rensburg but lost 7-1 in the second.
That saw the game go into the tie-break where the Tongans managed to win 3-0.
The Tongans will take on England in their second round game.
That was followed by the Fijian pair of veteran Litia Tikoisuva and Losalini Tukai who defeated Botswana 1.5-0.5.
Fiji dominated the first set 11-1 but the Botswana pair of Chinky Sinombe and Mpopi Pelemo forced their way back into the game and forced a 4-4 tie in the second set, allowing Fiji to claim the win.
The Fiji women’s pairs team will take on Wales in their second game on Saturday morning New Zealand Time.
In other results, New Zealand claimed a win in the women’s doubles as well, beating Kenya in tie-break.
New Zealand’s Selina Goddard and Katelyn Inch lost the first set 2-4 but returned to win the second 8-4, before they claimed the tie-break 2-0, over Kenya’s Nancy Cheruiyot and Eunice Wambui Mbugua.
The Commonwealth Sport flag is raised during the opening ceremony ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games at The Hydro on July 23, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Michael Steele/Getty Images
Openinbg ceremony
Meanwhile, King Charles, in his speech, described the Commonwealth as “a unique and extraordinary family of nations”.
A feature of the event was the inclusion of the King’s Baton for the first time, individually designed by participating countries, which had a message from King Charles inside.
The message was placed inside the Baton on Commonwealth Day the previous year, launching a journey that spaned the organisation’s member states, territories and oceans.
The Baton Relay traversed Commonwealth nations over a period of 500 days, greeted along the way by communities displaying what the King called “generosity and pride.”
As the Batons made their way into Scotland, they were borne by athletes and para-athletes whom the monarch praised for their inspiring example.
“Your perseverance inspires us, and we eagerly anticipate your achievements in the coming days,” he told competitors.
The opening ceremony was colourful and included the Loch Ness Monster, ‘Nessie’ and a dragon flying over the stadium, as the ceremony’s story extended over one transformative day in the city.
Visually stunning tributes were paid to the workers who drove and still drive the city’s industries, with dancers memorably ‘weaving’ a giant fabric on which the city’s ‘People Make Glasgow’ philosophy was emblazoned in Gaelic, the Games website said.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it takes a city to put on an Opening Ceremony and that’s exactly what we’ve done,” Louisa Mahon, Glasgow 2026 Chief Marketing and Ceremonies Officer, said.
“We’ve created a love letter to Glasgow – from our amazing industrial heritage through to the really creative, people-fuelled, passionate city that we are now.”
“Just seeing people laugh at the bits we hoped they would laugh at, and the interaction of the crowd when they sang along, applauded, got on their feet and were dancing – that was just magical,” Mahon said.
Scotland is hosting the Commonwealth Games for the fourth time, with the event returning to Glasgow after an absence of only 12 years.
George Black CBE, Chair of Glasgow 2026, heaped praise on the city’s late call to action.
“When the future of these Games was uncertain, Glasgow didn’t ask, ‘Can we?’. We asked, ‘When do we get started?’,” he told The Hydro crowd and an estimated worldwide audience of 750 million people.
“Because that’s what we do. We roll up our sleeves and, together, make extraordinary things happen.”
Glasgow got the Games after Victoria pulled out and the stage is now set for over 3,000 competitors from 74 nations and territories, competing in 10 sports, to turn the magic on.
The Niue King’s Baton.
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Niue baton
Meanwhile, the designer of Niue’s King’s Baton, Carol Edwards said the design embodies the rich culture and vibrant spirit of Niue-“The Rock of Polynesia.”
“This baton is not just a ceremonial object; it is a celebration of the life and essence of a Niue person, rendered through the eyes of a child who has been deeply influenced by our exquisite natural surroundings, culture and traditions,” she said.
“The design itself tells a story of our connection to the ocean, represented by the whale fluke, which echoes the lullabies of whales which I would hear from the shores of Halaika in Alofi when I was a child. These gentle giants, returning every year with their calves, symbolize the nurturing and familial bonds that resonate within our community.
“This design aims to encapsulate the heart of Niue, representing our smallest citizens and their dreams of showcasing our nation’s beauty on the global stage. Despite our size, the richness of our heritage and the strength of our community extends beyond our shores, carried with pride by Niue people around the world.”
Competition runs daily until 2 August.
