Post Birmingham 2022-which has just ended successfully but at a cost- the Commonwealth Games’ future is in limbo following the withdrawal of the state of Victoria in Australia from hosting the 2026 games. Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews said the state could not afford to host the games, referring to it as “all cost and no benefit”.
As a response, the city of Glasgow came out as the host; it will feature ten sports only while played across four venues, towards giving future games a more sustainable model. Scheduled to take place in 2026, the Games will include only ten sports.
Katie Sadleir, Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive, noted that the strategy “seeks to reset and reframe the Games for the future” to keep it fresh and relevant.
Confirmed Sports for Glasgow 2026
Here are the ten sports confirmed for Glasgow 2026:
Athletics and Para-athletics (track and field only)
Swimming and Para-swimming
Artistic gymnastics
Track cycling and Para-track cycling
Netball
Weightlifting and Para-powerlifting
Boxing
Judo
Bowls and Para-bowls
3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball
This streamlined format excludes twelve sports that were part of the Birmingham 2022 Games, including hockey, cricket, rugby sevens, and diving.Responses to the Cuts
The decisions made to axe some sports have not sat well with various stakeholders. One of the founding Commonwealth Games sports, back in 1930, is diving: it has been omitted because this sport will not have its dedicated venue. “We’re disappointed that diving has been dropped from the Gold Coast 2018 program,” said Diving Australia, adding that the Commonwealth heritage is rich in the sport.
Equally, hockey, squash, and badminton all had their say. Former Great Britain captain Kate Richardson-Walsh said the sport has to change its decisions and priorities while three-time squash gold winner Nick Matthew lamented losing the competition that brings the top Commonwealth talent to the table.
India had also performed well in Birmingham with 210 athletes, out of whom 98 were participating in the now-axed sports. The country, however, faces huge repercussions. Sanjay Mishra, general secretary of the Badminton Association of India, called it a “shocking setback” for Indian sports.
Brighter Days Ahead and Possibilities
While the cuts have done much to generate a lot of fears, there are sports that are really relieved to end up on the list. This is particularly the case with netball-a sport that remains up until today to be the only Olympic exclusive. The Commonwealth Games are viewed as the premier outlet for netball to amass more attention and grow further. Scottish international Niamh McCall said netball’s inclusion was important for inspiring girls in Scotland to become involved in sport.
Also continuing are long-established events such as boxing and lawn bowls. Para-sport will continue to be embraced with six events that help to ensure representation and inclusivity.
While cuts are the name of the game, Games officials are still pretty optimistic about the future. Sadleir has tried to diffuse fears that this change is permanently cemented when it comes to future Games being filled with different sports. However, with all the ongoing uncertainty surrounding whether Australia will again host the 2030 Games, long-term viability of the Commonwealth Games is a genuine concern.
As these challenges are navigated by the Commonwealth Games, stakeholders remain hopeful that it can usher in a brighter, more sustainable, and inclusive future for the event, despite all the issues that disturb the status of the event.
