Rugby Sevens and cricket are among the sports to be cancelled from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games as organisers look to present a leaner and more budget-friendly event.
The Games, which will be held in Scotland from July 23 to August 2, 2026, will feature just 10 sports, almost half the number (19) that were on the program for the 2022 event in Birmingham.
Joining Rugby Sevens organisers have left out diving, cycling (road and mountain bike), hockey, triathlon, beach volleyball, cricket, squash, shooting, badminton, table tennis and wrestling.
The 10 chosen sports include athletics and swimming, which were the only sports guaranteed a spot on the program, along with track cycling, weightlifting, 3×3 basketball, lawn bowls, netball, artistic gymnastics, judo and boxing.
Edmund Anya of Team Kenya is tackled by Dietrich Roache of Team Australia. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/2022 Getty Images)
“When we started pulling this concept together just under a year ago, our focus was on creating a Games that was different,” Commonwealth Games Scotland CEO Jon Doig was quoted by the ABC.
“Glasgow 2026 will have all the drama, passion and joy that we know the Commonwealth Games delivers, even if it is to be lighter and leaner than some previous editions.”
Despite the reduced events, Australia’s chef de mission Petria Thomas has vowed the athlete experience will exceed the last Games, where the Aussies topped the medal count in Birmingham with 180, including 67 gold.
“We knew the Games were headed to Glasgow, and we now know when they’ll be and the sports that will take part – it’s an exciting milestone in our preparations,” Thomas said in a statement.
“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.”
Commonwealth Games Federation CEO Katie Sadleir said the Glasgow model would mean more countries could afford to host.
“The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow – 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,” she said in a statement.
“With the reassuring legacy of Glasgow 2014 providing existing sporting, transport and accommodation infrastructure, and world-class venues and expertise, we look forward to working with the Glasgow team to deliver a very special Commonwealth Games in 2026.”
The Scottish city, which hosted the Games in 2014, stepped in to host the Games after the Victorian government withdrew its pledge to host the event in regional areas of the state due to financial and budget blowouts.
Victoria later agreed to make a compensatory payment of $380m, and it’s believed, from that, Scotland will use almost $200 million to deliver this event.
A Glasgow council update report that will be tabled this week also stated that there will be no new athletes’ village built for the Games, with competitors and officials staying in “existing accommodation across the city”.
“This concept presents Glasgow with the opportunity to contribute to an innovative Games delivery model that will provide a more sustainable event proposition,” the report said.
“The new model would cost substantially less to deliver, consisting of fewer events. All of the funding for this new delivery model is proposed to come from the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and commercial arrangements.”
The 2026 program will be officially relased later on Wednesday.
– with AAP
