Peter Beattie, who chaired the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, has warned the contract will be "tough" for Victoria to get out of.

The final cost of the state government's stunning backflip on the 2026 games is yet to be known, but Beattie warned there could be stringent conditions.

"You have to remember that the Commonwealth Games Federation does this every four years. They do it on a regular basis with a tight contract and the contract will be difficult to get out of," Beattie told Today.

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He said he recalled that Queensland would have had to pay about $1 billion had it reneged on its commitment to the 2018 games.

And the Victorian government is also standing by its funding commitment of $2.6 billion to the regions for infrastructure upgrades.

Premier Daniel Andrews revealed the shock decision yesterday, claiming the budgeted $2.6 billion cost of hosting the games at a number of regional centres, had blown out to $6 billion and could have reached $7 billion.

"Last year when the Commonwealth Games Authorities approached us, needed someone to step in to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games, as a state we were happy to help out," Andrews said.

"But, of course, not at any price and only if there was lasting benefit."

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However, the government's decision has been blasted as "humiliating" by critics.

The Commonwealth Games Federation said $6 billion was "50 per cent more than those advised to the Organising Committee board at its meeting in June".

A statement from the federation has further said the government had increased costs of the plans against its advice.

"Since awarding Victoria the Games, the Government has made decisions to include more sports and an additional regional hub, and changed plans for venues, all of which have added considerable expense, often against the advice of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA)."

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The federation has said it was only given eight hours' notice of the decision and until then had been advised the government had the funds to host the games.

Commonwealth Games Australia chief executive Craig Phillips said his organisation also had not been consulted about the "gross exaggeration" of costs revealed by the government, claiming he only learned of the decision at 8am yesterday.

The cost of the Birmingham Games in 2022 was $1.5 billion, alongside $2 billion for the Gold Coast Games and just $1 billion for the Glasgow Games.

There are fears Victoria's retreat could mean the Games are not held for the first time since WWII, with all other Australian states and territories ruling out a late bid, along with New Zealand.

Beattie suggested that Western Australia had the "deepest pockets" if it could be persuaded to keep the Games down under.

If not, he said the logical decision was for the games to return to Birmingham, where the infrastructure was already in place.

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An Australian sailor who was rescued by a Mexican tuna boat after being adrift at sea with his dog for three months joked that his first meal on try land would be "tuna sushi" after he returned to Mexico this morning.

After a visit from a doctor on board the Maria Delia Tuna, Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, 54, and his dog, Bella, disembarked on Tuesday (early Wednesday AEST) in the Mexican city of Manzanillo from the fishing boat that rescued them.

"This land I'm on is amazing. It's really good. I'm grateful to be here," Shaddock told 9News.

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He also spoke about the moment he saw the rescue helicopter overhead.

"It made me feel like I was gonna live, you know," he said.

Shaddock said he would be returning to Australia after he went through immigration in Mexico.

However, the dog that kept him company for months at sea won't be coming with him. Bella will instead stay with one of the crew on the boat that rescued them both, having become a smash hit there.

"I'm feeling alright. I'm feeling a lot better than I was, I tell ya," Shaddock, smiling, bearded and thin, told reporters on the dock in the port city, which is about 340 kilometres west of Mexico City.

"To the captain and fishing company that saved my life, I'm just so grateful. I'm alive and I didn't really think I'd make it," Shaddock said, adding that he and his "amazing" dog are both doing well now and that he still loves the ocean.

Before they left the vessel, the crew posed for photos on board while holding Bella.

The Sydney man's catamaran set sail in April from the Mexican city of La Paz for French Polynesia but was crippled by bad weather weeks into the journey.

He said the last time he saw land was in early May as he sailed out of the Sea of Cortez and into the Pacific Ocean. There was a full moon.

Shaddock told 9News from the fishing boat that he and his dog had survived on raw fish and rain water after a storm damaged his vessel and wiped out its electronics.

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The tuna boat spotted Shaddock's boat about 1930 kilometres from land, Grupomar, which operates the fishing fleet, said in a statement.

It didn't specify when the rescue occurred, but said Shaddock and his dog were in a "precarious" state when found, lacking provisions and shelter, and that the tuna boat's crew gave them medical attention, food and hydration.

Antonio Suárez Gutiérrez, Grupomar's founder and president, said he was proud of his boat's captain, Oscar Meza Oregón, and crew, praising them for their humanity in saving the life of someone in trouble.

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Shaddock said that a storm damaged his vessel and wiped out its electronics, he did a lot of fishing and that he and Bella survived on raw fish and rainwater.

He said he'll be going back to Australia soon and that he's looking forward to seeing his family.

Shaddock also spoke glowingly about his dog, pointing out that she was a hit with the fishing boat's crew.

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"Bella sort of found me in the middle of Mexico. She's Mexican," he said.

"She's the spirit of the middle of the country and she wouldn't let me go. I tried to find a home for her three times and she just kept following me onto the water.

"She's a lot braver than I am, that's for sure."

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Heartstopping dashcam footage has captured the moment a four-year-old toddler wandered into the middle of a busy Adelaide highway, straight into oncoming traffic.

Aaryan, who has autism, ended up on busy Salisbury Highway, still in his nappy.

After spotting him, Laurie Owens – the driver of the car with the dashcam – mounted the median strip and drove onto the wrong side of the road to shield the toddler from traffic.

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"I'd rather take the damage of a car running into me because I'm safe rather than the child be killed because what protection do they have?" he said.

Owens then jumped out of his car and went after the little boy in a desperate attempt to find his parents.

"We didn't know whether the kid lived there or not so we went in to see the people inside and sure enough it was their child and the gates were left wide open and the kid was out on the road," he said.

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Aaryan's mother told 9News he managed to escape from their front gate without anyone knowing.

She thanked Owens for what he did.

Other drivers also gave him the thumbs up.

Owens said he felt "proud".

"I've saved a kid's life. He's got a future now," he said.

READ MORE: Commonwealth Games scrapped in Victoria

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Hotels and registered clubs in NSW will be able to extend their trading hours if they're broadcasting the FIFA Women's World Cup, which is expected to be the most attended standalone women's sporting event in history.

Thousands of fans will descend on sporting precincts across Australia and New Zealand, with 64 matches to be played over 32 days.

Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth are all hosting matches, with the final to be held in Sydney's Accor Stadium on August 20.

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The first match on home soil between Australia and Ireland on Thursday in Sydney is pegged to be the biggest opening night for the event on record.

The NSW government is supporting the event by allowing venues to extend their trading hours to stay open for live games until midnight instead of 10pm on Sunday nights.

The extension will  apply to seven matches between July 23 and August 20, including the final.

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Sydney attendees are being warned not to drive as 80,000 fans are expected for matches at Accor Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park and another 40,000 for those at Moore Park.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the state has put on an extra 1800 public transport services on Thursday to accommodate the surge of people in the city.

"Leave your car at home and jump on a train, light rail or one of thousands of extra bus services to and from the game," she said.

For ticketholders, the price of public transport is included in the cost so all you have to do is show it to transport staff instead of tapping on.

"You can soak up the atmosphere when you're first on a train, tram or bus because all the crowds will be there," Transport for NSW Secretary Howard Collins said.

Collins did warn to allow extra time for catching public transport; even with all the extra services, there will be thousands and thousands of people swarming the city.

"Please be patient and plan your trip ahead using the Transport for NSW website," Haylen added.

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Football fans are urged to allow a bit of time after the Thursday night game before heading to catch public transport home.

Due to the number of people, there could be chaos.

If you have to drive to the game, this is Haylen's advice: "Consider using one of the park-and-ride options across the network."

"If friends or family are dropping you off, consider walking outside the precinct to the game," she added.

"There will be heavy traffic."

Any football fans heading to Sydney's sporting precincts for FIFA events should check the Transport for NSW website for the best routes.

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Not only will public transport see unprecedented numbers, NSW Police said officers will be out in force in line with kick-off.

"There will be large number of police in venues across Sydney including Olympic Park, Moore Park and Darling Harbour," Acting Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said.

"We won't tolerate anti-social behaviour or criminal behaviour."

Chapman said police have one message for football fans this week: "Come out and enjoy this fabulous event it is going to be fantastic but be patient, be respectful of those around you and make this an event that you remember for all the right reasons."

Kick-off for the Matildas v Ireland is at 8pm at Accor Stadium on Thursday.

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