KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has opted out of hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, as announced by the Youth and Sports Ministry.

The ministry, in its statement, revealed that this decision was reached during today's Cabinet meeting after careful consideration of various factors and potential consequences.

According to the ministry, the Cabinet concluded that the RM603 million grant provided by the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) would not cover the full expenses associated with hosting such a large-scale event.

Furthermore, the statement highlighted that the immediate economic impact of hosting the event could not be clearly determined.