Tate met with Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips earlier this week to discuss bringing the Games back to the 2018 host city following Victoria's decision to pull out.

Tate has planned a stripped back project he claimed would only cost AUD$700 million (£363 million/$441 million/€419 million) and has predicted it could inject AUD$2 billion (£1 billion/$2 billion/€1.1 billion) into the local economy.

A stumbling block looks likely to be winning support from the Queensland Government.

An official pitch for the Games could now come from Gold Coast at the CGF General Assembly in Singapore, scheduled from November 11 to 14.

"We are aware that earlier this week Mayor Tate had a meeting with Commonwealth Games Australia to explore options for hosting in 2026," the CGF told insidethegames. 

"We welcome all discussions regarding hosting and continue to liaise with Commonwealth Games Australia on potential opportunities."

Victoria's former State Premier Daniel Andrews cancelled the state's spread out hosting of the 2026 Games in July, claiming that the budget had ballooned to AUD$7 billion (£3.6 billion/$4.4 billion/€4.1 billion).

Tate has claimed that he would like to salvage Australia's reputation by bringing the Games back but Queensland Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe insisted in July that it was "an emphatic no" to hosting them again.

In September, Andrews resigned as Victoria Premier with the state previously paying AUD$380 million (£190 million/$242 million/€222 million) to settle disputes arising from the Games' cancellation.

Victoria's withdrawal led to fears for the very future of the Commonwealth Games, with the CGF left scrambling for a new host with little time.