Australia bids to host 2018 Commonwealth Games

Australia have confirmed they will bid to host their fifth Commonwealth Games in 2018, the Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) said on Wednesday.

The Gold Coast, about 75 kilometres south of Brisbane in Queensland state, had already been confirmed as the host region should Australia be successful with the bid.

"We are very excited about putting forward this bid to our fellow Commonwealth Games Associations (CGAs) from 70 Commonwealth nations," ACGA president Sam Coffa said in a statement.

"The bid provides that athletes and sports will be the top priority and as such a Gold Coast Commonwealth Games will be a very attractive option."

The Queensland state government said earlier this month it would contribute A$11 million ($10.10 million) to the bid.

Gold Coast is so far competing only with the Nigerian capital Abuja for the right to host the Games.

New Zealand's largest city Auckland was effectively ruled out of bidding earlier this month when the central government said it would not help underwrite the cost of running the event.

Australia has hosted the Games on four other occasions, in 1938 in Sydney, Perth (1962), Brisbane (1982) and Melbourne (2006).

India's capital New Delhi will host the Games in October, while Scotland's largest city Glasgow will host them in 2014.

The successful bid will be decided in November 2011.