Opening ceremony from Glasgow's Hydro
King Charles will officially open the Games - Queen Camilla and new Prime Minister Andy Burnham also in attendance
More than 3000 athletes from 74 nations and territories will compete for 215 gold medals across 10 sports over 10 days
Schedule & medals table | Five big names to look out for | Can you name every host city?
Right, now we're into the athletes parade. Warra honour.
They're calling this bit Ceud Míle Fáilte - Gaelic for ‘a hundred thousand welcomes’.
For the first time in Commonwealth Games history, the athletes are taking centre stage before formalities kick in.
Botswana are the first ones out.
That's electro-folk band Valtos on the stage to soundtrack the Parade of Nations. Here come the athletes...
A very emotional Sir Chris Hoy behind them.
What a guy.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have just stepped out of the tardis, which has found its way to The Hydro.
That's not a sentence I expected to write tonight. Or any other night for that matter.
Sir Chris Hoy stepping into the tardis. Fighting with actor Greg McHugh as to who gets to use the buttons. Asking Sylvester McCoy how he gets to Balmoral to pick up the King and Queen.
Only at the Commonwealth Games.
Image source, SNSDown go the lights.
Image source, SNSThe posh seats are filling up.
It's getting closer...
We've just been given our five-minute countdown here and told to put phones on silent.
I'll attempt to type quieter...
The pre-ceremony playlist has been violently Scottish.
Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand and Biffy Clyro.
Banger after banger.
We know that their Majesties The King and Queen will be here. As will new UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The King will read the message he placed into the King's Baton on Commonwealth Day in March at Buckingham Palace - that will mark the moment that Glasgow 2026 is officially declared open.
Sir Chris Hoy, one of Scotland's most decorated athletes, will also take part, as will a range of musical acts including KT Tunstall, Nathan Evans and Saint PHNX, Callum Beattie and Nina Nesbitt, who will perform a reimagined version of a much-loved Scottish track.
And Electronic-trad band Valtos have teamed up with musicians from across the Commonwealth to soundtrack the ceremonial Parade of Nations.
Wait til Matthew sees Finnie with her traffic cone too...
Image source, SNSSo this is Finnie. She's a unicorn. And obviously the unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.
She was designed by Glasgow schoolkids and we'll be seeing a lot of her over these next 11 days.
And anyone paying attention to the antics of the Tartan Army at the football World Cup might recognise the traffic cone on her head...
One of the real stars of the show in 2014, though, was Clyde the mascot.
Haud yer hat...
In short, class.
There were dancing Tunnock's tea cakes. Susan Boyle belting out tunes. And unintended comedy when Prince Imran, the Commonwealth Games Federation president, struggled to open the Queen's baton to hand to her.
You can remind yourself of it here. It brings a smile to the face.
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSWhile this place will soon host the netball, it's got to get through this opening ceremony first.
It kicks off in about 15 minutes and folks are getting giddy.
If the last one is anything to go by, you can understand why...
Four venues will host the Games.
So, there are 10 sports this time around, compared to the 17 when Glasgow last hosted the Games.
They are:
Image source, SNS
Image source, SNSSo, how did we end up here? How long have you got..?
Originally, the 23rd staging of this multi-sport event was supposed to be in the Australian state of Victoria in March of this year. That is until the organisers realised it was going to cost them too much and withdrew.
For several tense months, it looked like ball might be burst, until Glasgow saved the Games with a reimagined format with fewer sports across fewer sites on a tight budget.
Critics have - as ever - niggled at some of the compromises made, but the 3,000-odd athletes and around 4,000 volunteers thronging the city and here and seem determined to have a grand old time.
Just like they did 12 years ago when the City last hosted the Games...
While Matthew might be unfamiliar with the fashion up here, he certainly knows about the Commonwealth Games... but do you?
If you're a bit unsure what they are and you're a bit shy to ask? We hear you...
Welcome to Glasgow, Matthew…
