Humza Yousaf has said there needs to be a "serious conversation" around whether Scotland can financially commit to hold the Commonwealth Games in three years.
The First Minister also suggested that in a bid to cut costs, Scotland could look at sharing hosting duties with other countries.
The Scottish Government yesterday said they were prepared to explore the possibility of “a multi-city, multi-partner hosting opportunity” after the Australian state of Victoria unexpectedly walked away from the 2026 games.
READ MORE: Scotland could host 2026 Commonwealth Games after Victoria exit
However, speaking to press on Wednesday, the First Minister said he thought it could be "quite challenging" to get everything in place for a major international sporting event in less than three years.
“I’m not trying to pour cold water on the suggestion because I can understand why people are asking.
“Let’s see what’s possible, but I think it will be quite challenging.”
He said hosting the Commonwealth Games will have to be part of a “wider and broader” and potentially “multi-country” or “multi-city” effort.
Scotland has hosted the Games three times, most recently in Glasgow in 2014. Mr Yousaf confirmed he has asked staff to explore possibilities for 2026.
Mr Yousaf said: “We were desperate for the Games to go ahead in 2026, given that we know how excellent the preparations have been going for Team Scotland. It’s also an opportunity for us to compete under the Scottish banner.”
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Badminton player, former Olympian, and Herald journalist Susan Egelstaff, suggested the days of the Commonwealth Games might be numbered.
She told the BBC: “I think the really sad thing about the news yesterday about Victoria withdrawing is it’s hard to escape the fact that this is almost certainly the beginning of the end for the Commonwealth Games.
“It’s really hard to see how it has a long-term future now when so many governments and countries are just so reluctant to pay the cost of these Games.”
Ms Egelstaff, who won bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002 and Melbourne in 2006, added: "Three years is an incredibly short space of time to go from basically scratch to hosting a major multi-sport event and so the thought of it is lovely but I think the reality of it is, it's just not going to happen.
"I would be amazed if Scotland hosted the Commonwealth Games in three years' time and really I think it's a bit of a fantasy," she said
READ MORE: Commonwealth Games 2026: Should Scotland host again?
On Tuesday, Victoria’s State premier Daniel Andrews announced they were pulling out of hosting the games because the bill had now reached around £3.6billion.
"Frankly, 6-7 billion Australian dollars for a 12-day sporting event, we are not doing that - that does not represent value for money, that is all costs and no benefit," Mr Andrews said.
The Australian cost is significantly more than the 2022 Games in Birmingham, which came in at around £778m according to the UK Government.
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