Cricket, hockey and wrestling among sports dropped from Commonwealth Games 2026
Commonwealth Games 2026: Cricket, hockey, wrestling and shooting were among the sports that were dropped from the Glasgow edition. Only 10 sports have been retained in a trimmed version due to budget constraints.
by India Today Sports Desk · India TodayIn Short
- Commonwealth Games in 2026 will be held with a trimmed roster of 10 sports
- Cricket was part of the 2022 Birmingham Games
- India's chances of continuing their dominance in the Commonwealth Games take a hit
India's medal prospects for the 2026 Commonwealth Games have been severely impacted following a significant reduction in the number of sports at the event. The 23rd edition, scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, will feature only 10 sports in a bid to remain budget-friendly. Major sports where Indian athletes have excelled-such as hockey, badminton, shooting, and wrestling-have all been removed from the program.
This will mark a return to Glasgow as the host city after 12 years, following the 2014 edition. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has confirmed the reduction in events, with the Glasgow 2026 Games featuring a trimmed schedule compared to the 19 sports at the 2022 Birmingham edition. Sports like cricket, table tennis, squash, and road racing have also been left out.
Initially, Victoria had the rights to hold the Commonwealth Games, but they pulled out last year due to financial constraints. Glasgow stepped in to host the quadrennial multi-sport games.
In a statement, the CGF outlined the sports program, which will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 33 Basketball and 33 Wheelchair Basketball.
The Games will take place across four venues: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena (including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Athletes and their support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation.\
WHY WILL INDIA BE IMPACTED?
India's performance at the Commonwealth Games has historically been strong, largely due to success in the now-removed sports. The country has won a significant number of medals in hockey, badminton, shooting, and wrestling, all of which will not feature in the upcoming edition.
The exclusion of shooting, which was left out of the Birmingham 2022 edition due to logistical reasons, is especially damaging. India has secured an astonishing 135 medals in shooting, including 63 gold, making it one of the country's most successful sports at the Games. Wrestling has also been a stronghold, with 114 medals across various categories.
Hockey's exclusion is another blow, as India's men's team has won three silver and two bronze medals, while the women's team has also shone, with three medals, including a historic gold in 2002. Badminton, where India was set to defend multiple titles after clinching 31 medals (10 gold, 8 silver, 13 bronze) over the years, will also not be featured.
Cricket, a sport that India returned to with a women's team silver in 2022, is absent from the roster. Meanwhile, squash and table tennis-both events where Indian athletes have shown promise-are also missing.