Glasgow Commonwealth Games mascot unveiled

A unicorn named Finnie - with a traffic cone for a horn - has been unveiled as the official mascot for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The character made her first official appearance at the city's famous Finnieston Crane at dawn to mark 365 days until the start of the games.

She was designed with the help of school children from Glasgow and replaces Clyde the Thistle who was the mascot for the last Glasgow Games in 2014.

Finnie's horn is a take on the famous traffic cone placed on top of the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow city centre.

Glasgow is hosting a cut-down version of the Commonwealth Games next year after the Australian state of Victoria backed out for financial reasons.

It will feature 10 sports taking place across four venues in the city from 23 July to 2 August 2026.

The Finnieston Crane, where Finnie made her first appearance, and the Duke of Wellington statue with a traffic cone on its head are both iconic Glasgow landmarks.

She also has a silver flash in her shoes, in homage to the city's shipbuilding history, star-spangled arms in a nod to the Barrowland Ballroom and a flowing purple mane inspired by the lights that shine on The Hydro venue at night.

In a statement released on her behalf, the mascot said: "I'll be at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games next summer with a grin, a wave, maybe even a wee dance.

"I'm here to turn the nerves into excitement, stir the cheers and help turn every moment into something magic as Glasgow 2026 swings into the city."

Finnie will attend a number of events on Wednesday to mark the one-year countdown to the games, meeting athletes including 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan and Olympic medallist Eilidh Doyle as well as First Minister John Swinney.

Glasgow 2026 chief executive Phil Batty said: "Finnie represents everything Glasgow 2026 is about – fun, friendliness and of course that little bit of magic!

"She'll be at the heart of everything that's exciting about these Games, from building up the crowd to hyping the athletes."

Mr Batty told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme he expected next year's event to be "just as electric as the Games in 2014".

"The venues we're using, they've had world-class events back then and ever since," he said.

"We're in an eight-mile corridor, there's still over 200 medal events that will take place over 10 days.

"And Glasgow knows how to party, so this is going to be an epic games."