Ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, construction businesses can register their interest
The Victorian government has opened the Expression of Interest (EOI) process for the construction sector to build the Commonwealth Games villages ahead of the event, which will take place in the state in 2026.
The Games villages will be home to around 7,000 athletes and officials in Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Morwell when the Commonwealth Games get underway in March 2026.
These projects will create opportunities for regional contractors to be involved in construction.
Early works at each location are expected to begin later this year, with village designs and numbers of dwellings required at each site still being finalised.
The EOI will seek input from the market about businesses’ capacity and capability to be involved.
The response will help inform decisions including types of permanent and temporary dwellings that will be delivered.
Delivery partners are invited to submit an EOI to support delivery of:
- medium-density dwellings, including pre-fabricated relocatable dwellings
- small apartment buildings
- place making
Interested parties can register via the Buying for Victoria website buyingfor.vic.gov.au, from which a shortlist of contractors will be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal process.
Victoria 2026 will leave a legacy of housing and new and upgraded sports infrastructure to attract future major events.
It is estimated the 2026 Commonwealth Games will create more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs before they start, 3,900 jobs during the Games and a further 3,000 jobs after the Closing Ceremony, and is expected to contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy.
“We’re getting on with delivering Victoria 2026 and we’re taking a step closer to seeing these Games come to life,” Minister for Commonwealth Games Delivery Jacinta Allan says.
“Victoria 2026 will invest significantly in community infrastructure, including much needed additional housing in regional communities.”
Minister for Commonwealth Games Legacy Harriet Shing adds: “The 2026 Games give us a fantastic opportunity to partner with local businesses and contractors in creating athletes villages that are modern, accessible and energy efficient.”