As reported by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Nenshi is open to the idea but is unsure if there will be funding available from the city.

"They are people who know what they're doing and who are very enthusiastic about this," Nenshi told reporters.

"As such, as of today, no order of Government has offered financial backing for this bid.

"And the one thing I'm really interested in is what the province and the Federal Government have to say.

"But it is a very quick process."

The host of the 2026 Commonwealth Games would normally have been announced at the most recent Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) General Assembly, in Rwanda in September.

The CGF has decided to delay the decision until this year, however, in order to ensure they find the "right partner".

Calgary spent millions of dollars in 2018 preparing a potential bid for the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, only for it to be voted down in a municipal plebiscite.

Nenshi said the preparation work that was done at the time could still have value if Calgary was to pursue a bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

He has offered to share information with the anonymous group interested in doing so.

But Nenshi told reporters that there was not much the city could offer by way of funding, especially after terms were reached with the Calgary Flames to build a new arena for the National Hockey League team.

He said the bid group has held discussions about the use of venues, but that the city has not received any requests for funding yet.

"So, really, what we've said is we've got lots of data thanks to our Olympic bid," Nenshi said.

"We really understand our facilities very well.

"You are welcome to access that data to figure out what a Commonwealth bid might look like, but also we have to be very careful about funding, given that the city doesn't really have any money."

Calgary's chances are complicated by a bid for the 2030 Commonwealth Games by another Canadian city, Hamilton.

Last month, the CGF welcomed ongoing interest from Canada in hosting either the 2026 or 2030 Commonwealth Games.

It came after Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) announced that two community groups had submitted proposals to the organisation.

That was the first step in a process, which the CGC says will "select Canada's next candidate city to host the 2026 and/or 2030 Commonwealth Games".

Each Canadian city interested in hosting the Commonwealth Games had to submit part one of their plans, which includes vision and a financial plan, by November 22.

One of the groups, potentially Calgary, had chosen to remain confidential at that stage, while the other community group is Hamilton 100.

CGF chief executive David Grevemberg has said the organisation would welcome another Commonwealth Games in Canada.

He added the CGF were respectful but supportive of the internal process in Canada.

Hamilton 100 has targeted 2030 as it would be exactly a century after the city staged the inaugural event – then known as the British Empire Games – in 1930.

Grevemberg described the city as a "real contender" to host the event after officials carried out a three-day tour in August.

Challenges are expected to be political support and concern over costs.

Canada last hosted the Commonwealth Games in 1994, in Victoria.