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Explained in plain English

Who pays for the venues?

Hosting massive sporting events requires multi-billion-pound infrastructure, usually funded by a mix of taxpayers and private investment. Governments foot most of the bill for stadiums and transport links, hoping tourism and global prestige will pay it back. Glasgow relied heavily on existing venues to keep costs down, unlike past cities that faced huge debts.

Stories that explain this

Australia top final Commonwealth Games medal table

Questions this opens up

Do mega events turn profits? Who cleans up abandoned stadiums? How do cities bid?

Related explainers

Who pays for cost overruns? Can cities refuse to pay? Why do countries compete? How are host cities chosen? What does hosting cost? Who sets all time records? How do swimmers win so much? Who pays for venues?

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