India’s medal hopes hit hard as key sports axed from 2026 CWG
New Delhi/London: In a significant blow to India’s medal prospects at the Commonwealth Games, the 2026 edition, set to be hosted by Glasgow, will exclude key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket, and shooting. The host city has unveiled a reduced roster of just 10 disciplines in a bid to keep the event budget-friendly and minimise “operational risks.” This pared-down version of the Games marks a dramatic shift from the 2022 edition in Birmingham, where many of these sports formed the backbone of India’s medal haul.
Table tennis, squash, and triathlon have also been dropped from the schedule, as the event aims to cut costs and simplify logistics. The upcoming edition will feature only four venues, resulting in a total of nine fewer events compared to the previous Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), in its official statement, emphasised the need to strike a balance between maintaining the multi-sport nature of the event and managing financial constraints. “The Games will include 10 sports – striking a balance between ensuring the event has a multi-sport feel and the need to manage financial and operational risk,” the CGF said in a statement. The pruned roster of 10 disciplines for the 2026 Games includes athletics, para-athletics, swimming, para-swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, para-track cycling, netball, weightlifting, para-powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls, para-bowls, and 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball. This marks a significant reduction from the 19 events featured in the 2022 Birmingham edition. The 23rd edition of the Games, scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2, 2026, will mark Glasgow’s return as host after 12 years. The entire event will be staged 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 support staff will be accommodated in hotel facilities, according to the CGF. India’s prospects at the 2026 Games have taken a severe hit, as the country has historically excelled in many of the removed sports. Wrestling, shooting, and badminton, in particular, have been major contributors to India’s Commonwealth Games medal tally.
Shooting, which was axed from the 2022 Birmingham Games due to logistical challenges, remains out of the 2026 programme. This sport alone has yielded 135 medals for India, including 63 golds. Wrestling, another stronghold, has fetched the country 114 medals over the years, with 49 of them being gold. Meanwhile, badminton accounted for 31 medals, and India was expected to enter the 2026 Games as defending champions in several categories. The exclusion of hockey is another significant setback. India’s men’s and women’s teams have consistently performed well in this sport, with the men’s team winning five medals, and the women clinching a historic gold in 2002.
Cricket, which made its Commonwealth Games debut in 2022 with the Indian women’s team winning a silver, will also not feature in the 2026 edition. The removal of these key sports severely diminishes India’s chances of achieving a high medal tally. The decision to exclude certain sports and limit the number of venues stems largely from the need to control costs. The CGF justified the move by emphasising that expanding the roster would have increased financial and logistical challenges. For instance, Glasgow’s 2014 hockey venue and the badminton arena will not be reused in 2026, as cost and operational risks were key drivers behind the pared-down setup. Additionally, hockey’s exclusion could also be influenced by its scheduling proximity to the 2026 Hockey World Cup, set to take place just weeks after the Commonwealth Games in Belgium and the Netherlands. Scotland stepped in to host the 2026 Games after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew last year due to rising costs. The CGF estimates that the Games will deliver over £100 million in inward investment into Glasgow, while adding an economic value of over £150 million to the region. The event is being planned in a way that minimises the need for public funding. Despite the pruning of the roster, para-sports will continue to feature prominently in the 2026 Games, with six para-sports integrated into the programme, underscoring the CGF’s commitment to inclusivity.With agency input
