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59 free Commonwealth Games trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
The Commonwealth Games began in 1930 because a Hamilton newspaperman talked Canada into staging an 'Empire' meet, and it has since been renamed three times, boycotted twice, cancelled by a war and rescued by Glasgow. This quiz covers the whole story: the first gold medal in Hamilton, Bannister and Landy's Miracle Mile in Vancouver, the Baton Relay that started in Cardiff, Kingston's breakthrough in 1966, metric units in Edinburgh, security after Munich, the Nigerian and African boycotts, Kuala Lumpur's team sports, Delhi's budget, Usain Bolt in Glasgow, gender-equal Gold Coast, Birmingham 2022 and the slimmed-down Glasgow 2026 under King Charles. There are questions on the sports only the Commonwealth loves, on which six teams have never missed a Games, on mascots and opening ceremonies, and on Chad le Clos becoming the most decorated athlete in Games history. Easy questions suit anyone who has watched a Games on TV; the hard tier is for people who know which city was meant to host in 1942. Every answer was checked against Wikipedia's articles on the Games and its individual editions, and the supporting sentence is attached to each question.
30 of 59 questions with answers and explanations. Play the quiz
Q 01How often are the Commonwealth Games held?
Every four years
They fall in the even year between Summer Olympics, which is why so many Olympic stars use them as a mid-cycle target.
Q 02When the event was first held in 1930, what was it called?
The British Empire Games
The name changed three more times before settling on its current form.
Q 03The Games have been officially known simply as the Commonwealth Games since which edition?
1978
Between 1970 and 1974 they were the British Commonwealth Games, and before that the British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
Q 04What is the event's affectionate nickname?
The Friendly Games
Christchurch 1974 was the first edition to adopt the label officially, complete with a theme song called 'Join Together'.
Q 05Which Canadian city hosted the very first Games in 1930?
Hamilton, Ontario
Eleven countries sent 400 athletes to compete in six sports; women were allowed only in the pool.
Q 06Which Hamilton Spectator journalist lobbied for and organised the first Games in 1930?
Melville Marks Robinson
'Bobby' Robinson then managed the Canadian track and field team at the Games he had created.
Q 07Who won the first ever gold medal in the history of the Games, in 1930?
Canadian triple jumper Gordon Smallacombe
He won it a few hours after Governor General Lord Willingdon opened the Games at Hamilton's Civic Stadium.
Q 08The idea for the Games traces back to a 1911 Inter-Empire Championship held at which London landmark?
The Crystal Palace
It was staged with the Festival of Empire to mark George V's coronation, and Canada won a 340-ounce silver cup.
Q 09How many national teams have competed at every single Commonwealth Games?
Six
Only four of the six have won a gold medal at every Games.
Q 10The 1934 Games were moved to London after originally being awarded to which city?
Johannesburg
Organisers feared prejudice against Asian and Black athletes in South Africa; London used Wembley Park with track cycling in Manchester.
Q 11The 1938 Games in Sydney were timed to coincide with what anniversary?
150 years since British settlement in Australia
The opening ceremony drew 40,000 to the Sydney Cricket Ground, the first Games in the Southern Hemisphere.
Q 12Which city was due to host the cancelled 1942 Games?
Montreal
After the twelve-year wartime gap the fourth Games went to Auckland in 1950, where nearly 250,000 spectators attended.
Q 13The 'Miracle Mile' at Vancouver 1954 saw which two runners both break four minutes in the same race?
Q 21How many nations boycotted the 1986 Edinburgh Games over Margaret Thatcher's stance on apartheid sport?
32
Only 26 nations attended, but the Games rebounded and grew steadily afterwards.
Q 22South Africa returned to the Games in 1994 in Canada. When had it last competed?
1958
Namibia, newly independent from South Africa, made its debut at the same Games.
Q 23Kuala Lumpur 1998 was the first Games held in Asia and the first to include what?
Team sports such as cricket, rugby sevens and netball
Roger Bannister and John Landy
It was the first Games event televised live around the world; Bannister took gold for England, Landy silver for Australia.
Q 14Which tradition was introduced at the Cardiff Games?
The Queen's Baton Relay
Cardiff had waited twelve extra years after the 1946 event was cancelled by the war, and remains the smallest country to host.
Q 15Where does the Baton Relay traditionally begin?
Buckingham Palace
The monarch places a sealed message inside; the last runner returns it at the opening ceremony and the message is read aloud to open the Games.
Q 16For 2026 the traditional relay was renamed to honour whom?
The King
Charles III became Head of the Commonwealth on his mother's death in September 2022.
Q 17Why were the 1966 Games in Kingston, Jamaica a landmark?
First held outside the 'White Dominions'
Thirty-four nations, including South Arabia, sent 1,316 athletes and officials to the Caribbean.
Q 18Edinburgh 1970 was the first Games to use what?
Metric units instead of imperial
It was also the first time Elizabeth II attended as Head of the Commonwealth and the first Games in Scotland.
Q 19What prompted Christchurch 1974 to become the first multi-sport event to prioritise participant safety?
The Munich Olympics massacre of 1972
Security guards ringed the athletes' village and police presence was exceptionally high.
Q 20Nigeria boycotted the 1978 Edmonton Games over which country's sporting contacts with apartheid South Africa?
New Zealand
Uganda also stayed away, citing alleged Canadian hostility to Idi Amin's government.
Ten-pin bowling and squash also debuted, and Malaysia finished fourth on the medal table, its best ever showing.
Q 24Which tiny Pacific nation won three gold medals at Kuala Lumpur 1998?
Nauru
Its weightlifters delivered; Cameroon, Mozambique, Kiribati and Tuvalu all debuted at the same Games.
Q 25Manchester 2002 was timed to coincide with which royal milestone?
Elizabeth II's Golden Jubilee
It was the first English-hosted Games since 1934 and set a new legacy-focused benchmark for future bids.
Q 26Which five-time Olympic champion opened the 2002 Manchester ceremony by banging a giant drum?
Sir Steve Redgrave
The main venue later became Manchester City's home ground, replacing Maine Road.
Q 27What was the official mascot of the 2002 Manchester Games?
A cat named Kit
The Manchester Velodrome, built in 1994 for an Olympic bid, finally got its Games that year.
Q 28Which country was absent from Melbourne 2006 after quitting the Commonwealth following its 2002 suspension?
Zimbabwe
It was the only change from the 2002 line-up; the Baton also visited every participating nation for the first time, a 180,000 km trip.
Q 29Delhi 2010 was the first Games hosted by a Commonwealth republic. Roughly what did they cost?
$11 billion
They were the most expensive Games ever, dogged by criticism over slow preparations, security and hygiene.
Q 30Which venue hosted the opening and closing ceremonies at Delhi 2010?
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
With a 60,000 capacity it was the largest venue; the ceremony was directed by Bharat Bala.