2026 Commonwealth Games news: Hockey, road cycling and more axed from Glasgow Games

With the Glasgow Commonwealth Games slashed to just 10 sports after being abandoned by the Victorian Government last year, some of Australia’s strongest sports have been given the axe.

Some of Australia’s favourite sports, including hockey and road cycling, are expected to be axed from the scaled back 2026 Commonwealth Games taking place in Glasgow.

While Scottish officials are yet to publicly reveal the full details around the Games, with planning still regarded as being “in development,” the dates and venues have finally been decided while there’s been some leaks giving clues about which sports have been retained and which have been ditched to save money.

The Games will take place over 11 days from July 23-August 2, 2026, at just four multi-purpose venues - the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre and the Scottish Events Campus.

Only 10 sports - integrating para competition - will make the cut for Glasgow, which stepped in to save the ‘friendly games’ in the wake of the Victorian Government’s decision not to proceed as hosts.

This is almost half the number (19) that were on the program for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

Swimming and athletics were the only sports that were given guarantees for Glasgow.

Australia had a great road racing campaign at the Paris Games. Picture: Getty Images

However, it’s now known that track cycling has also been given the green light but not road cycling after a report to the Glasgow City Council stated: “competition would be contained within the venue footprint, with no road-based events.”

That means road athletics events, such as the marathon and the walking races, will also be left off the program while the ruling seems to spell disaster for triathlon.

The report also said there will be no new athletes’ village built for the Games, with competitors and officials staying in “existing accommodation across the city.”

“The concept is based on a significantly reduced budget, timeline and scale of event, therefore the approach and experience will be different to previous Commonwealth Games,” the report said.

This masthead can also reveal hockey — which Australia has dominated since the sport’s inclusion at the Games in 1998 - won’t be among the 10 sports, with an official announcement expected in the next few days.

Hockey won’t be at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Picture: Getty Images

Hockey Australia was hopeful the sport would be included when Glasgow said they would use existing infrastructure, but the absence of the National Hockey Centre on the list of venues does not bode well.

Hockey’s exclusion would be a huge blow for the sport, given the Commonwealth Games is a key lead-up event ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The news comes on the back of a fraught Paris Olympic campaign where India dumped the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos were both eliminated in the quarter-finals.

The Hockeyroos had their full funding restored post Paris, rejoining the men as teams considered likely to contribute to the country’s high performance targets.

It’s not clear if being left off the Commonwealth Games program will impact future funding.

The decision is considered surprising, given the popularity of hockey in the Commonwealth’s biggest market - India - which has claimed six medals in the sport.

England has won 11 medals in hockey, including gold in the women’s final at Birmingham, but the Aussies are the real powerhouse, winning 11 of the 14 golds ever contested.

Originally published as 2026 Commonwealth Games news: Hockey, road cycling and more axed from Glasgow Games