Commonwealth Games 2026: Rugby, cricket and hockey axed from trimmed down Glasgow event

Glasgow has defended it’s trimmed-down Commonwealth Games that will feature just 10 sports – with almost half the sports featured two years ago axed in budget cuts. Every sport’s status revealed inside.

The Commonwealth Games still has a beating heart.

It’s just that the pulse is a little fainter now than it used to be.

Placed on life support just 15 months ago when former Victoria premier Dan Andrews reneged on his promise to host the 2026 edition, the so-called ‘Friendly Games’ have received the kiss of life.

After months of speculation, Glasgow has finally been confirmed as the 2026 host, but with a bittersweet twist, that has left the casualties devastated and confused.

In resuscitating the Games, the Scots have had to amputate a large chunk of the program.

Just 10 sports, including six para sports, have survived:

– Swimming and para swimming

– Athletics and para athletics

– Cycling track and para track

– 3x3 Basketball and wheelchair basketball

– Netball

– Boxing

– Gymnastics

– Judo

– Lawn Bowls and para lawn bowls

– Weightlifting and Para powerlifting

That’s the sweet bit.

The bitter part is that for every sport that made the cut, there’s a stack of others that didn’t make it.

Of the 19 sports that featured at the last Commonwealth Games at Birmingham in 2022, nine were completely discarded, while three had to be trimmed back.

Australia’s men are the defending Commonwealth Games hockey champions. Picture: Getty

– Athletics - marathon

– Road cycling

– Mountain biking

– Hockey

– Triathlon and para triathlon

– Cricket

– Rhythmic gymnastics

– Rugby Sevens

– Squash

– Beach volleyball

– Diving

– Badminton

– Table tennis and para table tennis

– Wrestling

With a well-earned reputation for being frugal, the Scots didn’t hide their reasons for insisting on a scaled-back version of the Games.

It was simply because they didn’t have any spare money to splurge.

Despite receiving more than half of the $380m settlement fee Victoria paid for pulling out as hosts, the Scots had to come up with an affordable and sustainable model at a time when its citizens are having to tighten their belts.

So in addition to reducing the number of sports to 10, they have also slashed the number of venues that were sussed when Glasgow who hosted the Games in 2014 – selecting just four main sites – all within a 13 kilometre corridor in Glasgow, and dumping events held on public streets, including the marathon, triathlon and road cycling.

While it’s of no consolation to the sports that were culled, Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said their omission this time won’t exclude them from future Games, and the underlying hope it that the new scrimping model will persuade another host to come forward for 2030, when the Games celebrate their centenary.

“The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow,” said CGF chief executive Katie Sadleir.

“An exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly

collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs,

reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact – in doing so

increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.”

Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) president Ben Houston applauded Scotland for cleaning up the mess left by the Andrews government.

“To continue to thrive, the movement needed a reset after the Victorian Government made the decision to cancel and Scotland has delivered the perfect blueprint for ongoing success and development,” he said.

Tuesday’s announcement provides concrete details about the 2026 Games.

They will be held over 11 days, from 23 July to 2 August, 2026 at the following four venues:

– The Emirates Arena including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome

– The Scottish Event Campus (SEC) including the SEC Armadillo, SEC Centre and SEC Hydro

– Scotstoun Stadium

– Tollcross International Swimming Centre

Around 2,500-3,000 athletes from 74 countries and territories are expected to attend, with Australia planning to send a team of about 400 athletes and officials, down from the 525 that went to Birmingham, when Australia topped the medal tally with 179 medals, including 67 gold.

“We are committed to an experience for Australia’s team that exceeds Birmingham, with no stone to be left unturned as we target both performance and memories that last a lifetime,” the Australian team’s chef de mission Petria Thomas said.

Once dismissed as an imperial curiosity that has no relevance in the 21st century, the disappointment from the sports that missed out was clear.

“We are disappointed that the Australian women’s team will not be able to defend their Commonwealth Games gold medal in Glasgow,” Cricket Australia said.

Australia women’s cricket team won’t get the opportunity to defend their Commonwealth Gold. Picture: Getty Images

“However, we understand the circumstances that have led to cricket’s removal from the 2026 Commonwealth Games schedule and remain enormously excited by its inclusion at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and, we hope, Brisbane 2032.”

Squash Australia CEO Robert Donaghue said. “Today’s announcement is a blow to the players who have had their dream of competing in the Commonwealth Games taken away from them.

“With Rachael Grinham carrying the flag into the opening ceremony in 2022 and Australia contributing 11 gold and 33 total medals since 1998, Australia has achieved great success in a sport which has been part of the fabric of the Commonwealth Games for a quarter of a century.

Volleyball Australia CEO Andrew Dee said: “We are deeply disappointed with the news that beach volleyball won’t feature as part of the 2026 Commonwealth Games program in Glasgow.

“Volleyball Australia remains committed to working with Commonwealth Games Australia (CGA) to remain a member sport and to make a return to the 2030 Commonwealth Games.”

Triathlon Australia said it was also disappointed.

“The Commonwealth Games is a pinnacle event on our international calendar, and one where our Australian athletes have enjoyed success, since our sport was first included in 2002,” Aus Triathlon said.

“We’ll be working collaboratively with Commonwealth Games Australia to make sure that we remain a part of the Commonwealth Games family, while we work towards other international events on the horizon.”

Originally published as Commonwealth Games 2026: Rugby, cricket and hockey axed from trimmed down Glasgow event