Ballarat is one of four regional hubs planned for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, which means spectators will have to plan their trips carefully, a leading official has warned ©City of Ballarat

Spectators attending the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria are being advised to plan their visit carefully and not try to fit attending too many events in a single day.

For the first time, the Games are being staged in a region rather than a single city and are scheduled to take place in Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland.

The Opening Ceremony is planned to be held in the state capital at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Closing Ceremony at the Kardinia Park in Geelong.

The concept has been praised for spreading the potential benefits of the event around the state but could present a logistical challenge for fans.

Kate Matson, the chief of Games Services at Victoria 2026, revealed during a presentation to local businesses that they are expecting 400,000 visitors to come to Victoria for the event, scheduled to take place between March 17 and 29.

Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland are due to share the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with state capital Melbourne hosting only the Opening Ceremony ©Victoria Government
Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland are due to share the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with state capital Melbourne hosting only the Opening Ceremony ©Victoria Government

"Spectators would not be encouraged to crisscross between regional cities in a single day due to accommodation and transport issues," Matson said, as reported by The Herald Sun newspaper in Melbourne.

Instead, they will be urged to visit each "hub" separately and stay the night or stay in Melbourne and take day trips.

"Limited accommodation in regional Victoria, which we are well aware of, will put additional pressure on Melbourne as a solution," Matson said.

"We are not going to suggest or advertise that you can get to swimming in Geelong in the morning and the rugby sevens in Gippsland in the afternoon.

"That would be pretty difficult, not to mention ­extremely expensive."

Geelong will host the swimming during the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria ©Victoria 2026
Geelong will host the swimming during the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria ©Victoria 2026

It is planned that new properties will be constructed across Victoria to help accommodate athletes and officials taking part in the Games.

School camps and boarding houses could also be converted into temporary worker villages to free-up hotels and motels for spectators, The Herald Sun reported.

Planning has already begun for four Athletes' Village sites at Ballarat Saleyards, the Waurn Ponds station precinct on the outskirts of Geelong, Flora Hill in Bendigo and English St Morwell as officials race to create suitable accommodation for almost 7,000 participants.

This includes 2,500 athletes and officials to be housed in Geelong, 1,600 in Bendigo, 1,800 in Ballarat and 1,000 in Morwell.