Organisers of Glasgow 2026 are under fire after unveiling an “official beer” partner.
Health experts have warned that it risks normalising alcohol at one of Scotland’s biggest public events.
On Tuesday morning, the sporting event unveiled Jubel as the “Official Beer Partner”, saying it would be “poured across all venues alongside Tennent’s and Tennent’s Zero”.
Diane McLeod, Director of Games Services and Workforce at Glasgow 2026, said the partnership was "about more than great beer".
"It is about shared moments, community and celebration," she said. "Jubel dares to do things differently and shares our values around innovation, sustainability, and creating memorable moments that bring people together.”
Jesse Wilson, Founder of Jubel Beer, said: “Jubel was born in an Aprés bar and means a feeling of extreme joy — that is exactly why we exist, to create those sun-soaked, music-pumping, shared moments that bring people together.”
However, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) said the deal would lead to more consumption of alcohol during a public health crisis and could prevent recovering alcoholics from getting involved in the Games.
In 2024, 1,185 people in Scotland died because of alcohol. Deaths linked to alcohol are higher in Glasgow than the Scottish average, and people in the poorest parts of Scotland are 4.5 times more likely to die from alcohol than those in the richest areas.
In 2023, Scotland had the worst alcohol death rate in the UK.
For every 100,000 people, 22.6 died from alcohol in Scotland, compared with 15.0 in England, 17.7 in Wales and 18.5 in Northern Ireland.
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Dr Alastair MacGilchrist, SHAAP Chair, told our sister title The Herald: “The Commonwealth Games returning to Glasgow is great news for the city and for Scotland, and we are looking forward to what should be a tremendous summer of sport.
“It is disappointing, though, to see JUBEL Beer announced as a sponsor for Glasgow 2026. Events like the Commonwealth Games draw huge audiences, many of them children and young people, and alcohol sponsorship means branding becomes part and parcel of the experience of watching and attending sport.
“The evidence is clear — the more young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, the earlier they are likely to start drinking and the more they are likely to consume.
“There are also people in recovery from alcohol problems for whom an event saturated with alcohol branding can be a real barrier to taking part.
“We would urge the organisers of Glasgow 2026 and other major events to think carefully about the message alcohol partnerships send, and to find sponsorship models that let everyone enjoy sport without being exposed to alcohol promotion.”
The next Games were due to be held in Victoria, Australia, but organisers there unexpectedly withdrew after costs hit £3.13 billion — far more than the £1.4 billion they had expected to spend.
Organisers believe the scaled-back Glasgow Games can be delivered for just £114 million, with the majority of funding coming from the £100 million compensation paid by the Australians.
The UK Government has agreed to a “ringfenced contingency” fund of up to £2.3 million, to be used only if existing budgets and contingencies “have been exceeded and all efforts to reduce costs have been exhausted”.
The event, due to be held between 23 July until August 2, will feature 10 sports across four venues, with around 500,000 tickets released in total.
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