With just seven days to go until the 2026 Commonwealth Games, excitement is building for the opening ceremony on July 23 in Glasgow. However, this edition of the Games will look very different from previous ones. To keep the event affordable and easier to host, the programme has been reduced from 19 sports at Birmingham 2022 to just 10 in Glasgow, a move that is expected to have a significant impact on India’s medal chances.
Why were so many sports removed?
The competition was originally awarded to Victoria in Australia, but the state withdrew because of rising costs. Glasgow later stepped in as the host and decided to use existing venues instead of building new facilities. To keep expenses low, competitions will be held across just four venues within an eight-mile corridor. As a result, several sports were dropped from the programme.
Which sports will feature in Glasgow?
The 10 sports at Glasgow 2026 are athletics, swimming, track cycling, weightlifting, 3×3 basketball, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing and judo.
Several popular sports that featured at Birmingham 2022 will not be part of this edition. These include badminton, cricket, hockey, wrestling, table tennis, squash, triathlon, rugby sevens and beach volleyball. Shooting, diving and road cycling are also not on the programme.
How will it affect India?
The reduced schedule is expected to affect India more than many other nations. At the 2022 Commonwealth Games, India won 61 medals, with almost half of them coming from sports that are no longer included. Wrestling alone produced 12 medals, while table tennis yielded seven and badminton added six. Hockey, squash and cricket also contributed to the medal tally.
The absence of these sports means several of India’s biggest stars, including PV Sindhu, Lakshya Sen, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and many of the country’s top wrestlers, will miss the Games despite being among India’s strongest medal contenders.
Financial impact on Indian athletes
The reduced sports programme will also affect athletes financially. A Commonwealth Games medal often brings cash rewards, government jobs and sponsorship opportunities. With fewer medal events, many Indian athletes will miss a valuable opportunity to earn recognition and financial support.
India’s new medal hopes
India will now rely on the sports that remain in the programme, particularly athletics, weightlifting, boxing and judo.
The smaller format has helped save the Commonwealth Games, but it has also reduced India’s opportunities to compete for medals. As the countdown enters its final week, India’s focus will be on making the most of the limited medal events available in Glasgow.
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