Commonwealth Games 2026: A united Christian presence

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Salvationist hears about the Army’s involvement in a shared Christian outreach.

In under a week’s time, 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories will be journeying to Glasgow for the 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games are a 10-day celebration of sporting excellence. From 23 July to 2 August, they will span four venues and 10 sporting disciplines, including six para-sports, with 250 medals up for grabs. They will pioneer a leaner, more sustainable model for this major tournament. This approach is rooted in community, inviting people to be part of something bigger and brilliant.

Roughly 8 in 10 people are involved in or support a sport in Scotland, which makes the Games a key opportunity for evangelism. The Salvation Army is part of a wider race towards that opportunity, including Glasgow City Mission, Glasgow Street Pastors and Sports Chaplaincy UK.

Glasgow City Centre Corps will be a hub for Glasgow Churches Together. Throughout the Games, the hall will be open from 10am to 6pm with refreshments and opportunities to rest, recharge and socialise.

The Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd’s Renfrew Donation Centre will be providing volunteers to help at the hall. ‘We have a huge team here,’ explains manager Harry McCafferty. ‘If you include the paid staff and the volunteers, we have about 95 people! As well as helping with refreshments, we’ll be able to provide clothing, because people coming might not have the right items for the weather.’

‘It’s targeted at athletes if they haven’t got the right clothes or need somewhere to meet their family,’ says corps leader Captain Ian Arthur. ‘I have experience as a sports chaplain, which will be helpful. Sports Chaplaincy UK delivers chaplaincy to the Games, but the chaplaincy teams will be able to bring any athletes here if they need a quiet space.’

‘It’s a good opportunity to have the doors open,’ he continues. ‘We’re also wanting to reach out to the community.’

Representatives from Employment Plus will be present too, with other Army services signposted to. The corps has also applied for a licence to show the Games, as they’re not available to watch on free-to-air TV. There will be people from Good News for Everyone giving out Bibles, and Glasgow Street Pastors will be using the hall as a base.

‘While normally Glasgow Street Pastors patrol on a Friday and Saturday from 10pm to 4am, we are extending our shifts to cover afternoons and early evenings,’ says Elizabeth Lacey from Govan Corps, who is the coordinator for Glasgow Street Pastors. ‘Our teams will be armed with maps, ponchos, phone chargers, a friendly smile and the desire to show the love of God to everyone they meet.’

Glasgow City Centre Corps is near the SEC (Scottish Event Campus) and the Ovo Hydro arena, where the opening ceremony is.

‘One of our adherents is planning to be volunteering as a steward at Scotstoun Stadium, where the track and field events are taking place,’ highlights Ian.

Parkhead Corps, which is near to the velodrome and swimming pool, will also be engaging with the Games, along with other parts of the Army, including the charity shop at 91 Dumbarton Road.

Amid all this, another key player is warming up to take part: Shieldy, The Salvation Army’s mascot, who might well become friends with Finnie, the official mascot for the Games.

‘Shieldy will be going to town!’ announces Commissioner Ivor Telfer, who is the support officer to the Commonwealth Games and has helped coordinate the Army and wider Churches Together response. ‘We’ll be taking Shieldy out on the streets, along with water, leaflets and the 18 July edition of Kids Alive!, which features the Commonwealth Games. We’ll be going to all the Games locations. We’ll have opportunities to chat and really be visible.’

‘The extent of The Salvation Army’s work is a great secret to most people,’ Ivor continues. ‘The Salvation Army is present in the majority of the Commonwealth. At the hall, we will have a 30-minute video showing the Army’s work playing on one of the TVs.’

Working with Churches Together, The Salvation Army has also helped provide sermons and children’s stories and prayers for churches to use.

‘We’re praying that people come to faith during the Games, and see the Church as being more relevant than they ever thought,’ says Ivor.

This passionate display of united Christian response has been made possible through teamwork.

‘It’s going to be an event with a lot of moving parts,’ says Harry. ‘We’re just going to be available to do what’s needed.’

‘We are praying that God will give each of us the right words for the appointments he is preparing for us,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Our foundational text for the Games is 1 Peter 3:15 and 16: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” It is our prayer that the Holy Spirit would lead us as we walk and guide us as we talk and that all the honour and glory would go to God.’

Like the Games themselves, the result is a lean, ready-to-adapt approach that’s rooted in community, offering everyone an invitation to be part of something bigger and brilliant: the Kingdom of God.