Glasgow 2026 will stage a compact Commonwealth Games from 23 July to 2 August 2026, with 10 sports, six integrated Para sports and four main venues. The programme is designed to be smaller, more affordable and easier to follow, using existing facilities across a tight city footprint.
The article outlines the full sports list, notes several missing events such as hockey, rugby sevens and cricket, and explains how the reduced format could shape the Games. It also highlights the role of athletics, swimming, cycling, netball, boxing and weightlifting in the schedule.
The Commonwealth Games return to Glasgow in 2026 with a smaller, sharper and more compact sports programme.
For fans, that means one clear thing. The Games should feel easier to follow. Instead of a huge event spread across many venues and sports, Glasgow 2026 will focus on 10 sports, six integrated Para sports and four main venues.
That makes this Commonwealth Games different from recent editions. It is not trying to match the scale of Birmingham 2022 or Glasgow 2014. Instead, it is built around a leaner model that uses existing venues, keeps travel tight, and gives each sport a strong place in the schedule.
This guide explains the full Commonwealth Games sports list for Glasgow 2026, why some sports are missing, which Para sports are included, and where the action will take place.
For more major event coverage, visit our Sports News hub. For more explainers like this, see our Sports Guides section. We will also keep building coverage across Athletics and Boxing as Glasgow 2026 gets closer.
When are the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games?
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from Thursday 23 July to Sunday 2 August 2026.
The event will bring athletes from 74 nations and territories to Scotland. Around 3,000 athletes are expected to compete, with the Games staged across a tight venue plan in and around Glasgow.
That compact model matters. It should make the event easier for fans, broadcasters, athletes and volunteers. It also reflects the new reality for the Commonwealth Games. Future hosts need a format that is more affordable, easier to deliver and less reliant on building new venues.
The official Glasgow 2026 sports page confirms the full programme and dates here: Glasgow 2026 sports programme.
Full Commonwealth Games sports list for Glasgow 2026
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will include the following 10 sports:
This is the full Glasgow 2026 programme. It is smaller than many fans may expect, but it still keeps several of the sports most closely linked with the Commonwealth Games.
Athletics, swimming, cycling, boxing, gymnastics and weightlifting all bring history and global appeal. Netball adds a strong Commonwealth identity. Bowls gives the event a traditional edge. Judo and 3×3 basketball bring pace, variety and a younger feel.
Why are there only 10 sports at Glasgow 2026?
Glasgow 2026 is being delivered as a more compact Commonwealth Games.
That does not mean the event lacks ambition. It means the organisers have made clear choices. The Games are using existing venues, keeping the footprint smaller and avoiding the huge cost of building a new athletes’ village or new stadiums.
The projected cost has been listed at about £114m ($155m), with £100m ($136m) made available by the Commonwealth Games Federation for the core budget. Dollar figures are rounded guide conversions. The financial model also includes commercial income such as tickets, broadcast rights, sponsorship and merchandise.
This matters because the Commonwealth Games needed a practical host after Victoria, Australia, withdrew from staging the 2026 event. Glasgow stepped in with a different kind of plan. The city already had major-event experience from 2014 and enough venues to stage a credible Games at shorter notice.
As a result, Glasgow 2026 has become a test case. If it works, it could show how the Commonwealth Games can survive without asking every host to deliver a huge, expensive event.
Which sports are not included in Glasgow 2026?
Several well-known Commonwealth Games sports are not part of the Glasgow 2026 programme.
Sports missing from the list include badminton, hockey, rugby sevens, diving, squash, table tennis, triathlon, wrestling and cricket.
For fans of those sports, that will feel like a loss. Hockey and rugby sevens have brought major Commonwealth Games moments in the past. Badminton and squash also have strong links with Commonwealth nations. Diving was a familiar part of recent Games too.
However, the smaller programme is part of the overall rescue model. Glasgow 2026 is not designed to be the biggest Commonwealth Games. It is designed to be deliverable, watchable and financially controlled.
That may frustrate some fans. Yet it also gives the 10 included sports more room to stand out. Each sport should receive clearer attention across the schedule.
Para sport at Glasgow 2026
One of the strongest parts of the Glasgow 2026 programme is its integrated Para sport offer.
Six Para sports will be included:
The Commonwealth Games have often treated Para sport as part of the main event, not as a side event. Glasgow 2026 continues that approach.
That matters for fans too. It means Para athletes share the same stage, same city and same wider story as other athletes. It also gives the schedule more variety and more medal moments across the Games.
Where will the Glasgow 2026 sports take place?
Glasgow 2026 will use four main venues. The event is built around an eight-mile corridor, so fans should not have to cross a huge city footprint to follow the action.
The Scottish Event Campus will carry a huge share of the programme. The Hydro will host netball, the SEC Armadillo will stage weightlifting and Para powerlifting, while the SEC Centre will handle 3×3 basketball, bowls, boxing and judo.
This should help create a festival feel. Fans can move between sports more easily, while broadcasters can build a packed daily schedule without jumping between distant venues.
Athletics and Para Athletics
Athletics remains one of the flagship Commonwealth Games sports.
At Glasgow 2026, the track and field programme will take place at Scotstoun Stadium. This is where many fans will expect the biggest crowd noise, the most dramatic finishes and some of the clearest Games-defining moments.
The Commonwealth Games have always given athletes from smaller nations a real chance to shine. That is especially true in athletics. Sprint races, middle-distance battles, jumps, throws and Para athletics events can all create stories that travel well beyond one country.
For home fans, athletics will also carry Scottish interest. For wider Commonwealth audiences, it remains one of the simplest sports to watch and understand. First across the line wins. Longest throw wins. Highest jump wins. That clarity helps explain why athletics still sits near the centre of the Games.
Swimming and Para Swimming
Swimming and Para Swimming will take place at Tollcross International Swimming Centre.
This venue has strong pedigree. It was used during Glasgow 2014 and has hosted other major aquatics events since. That makes it one of the safest and most logical choices on the programme.
Swimming is also one of the best sports for a compact Games. It delivers medal races quickly, often across multiple sessions, and gives fans a steady flow of finals. It also suits television because races are easy to follow and often decided by tiny margins.
The Para swimming programme should add even more depth. For many fans, the pool will be one of the must-watch parts of Glasgow 2026.
Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling
Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling will be staged at Glasgow International Arena, home of the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome.
That link gives the sport extra meaning. Hoy remains one of Scotland’s greatest Olympic and Commonwealth sporting figures, and Glasgow’s velodrome has already proved it can deliver a major-event atmosphere.
Track cycling works well at the Commonwealth Games because it brings speed, tactics and noise. Sprint events can be explosive. Endurance races can swing late. Para cycling adds another layer of skill and intensity.
For fans who want a loud indoor venue, this could be one of the best tickets of the Games.
Netball
Netball will be one of the headline team sports at Glasgow 2026.
The Commonwealth Games remain one of the biggest stages in world netball. Australia, New Zealand, England and Jamaica have all helped build the sport’s modern profile, and every edition brings pressure.
Netball also has a strong fan culture. It is quick, physical and easy to get drawn into. The margins can be tight, and momentum can change fast.
At Glasgow 2026, netball will take place at The Hydro within the Scottish Event Campus. That should give the sport a proper arena setting and a strong crowd.
Boxing and Judo
Boxing and judo give the Glasgow 2026 programme a combat-sport edge.
Boxing has long been a major Commonwealth Games sport. It often acts as a breakthrough stage for fighters before they move deeper into amateur or professional careers. For fans, it offers simple drama. Every bout has tension. Every medal fight matters.
Judo brings a different rhythm. It can be technical, tactical and sudden. One mistake can end a contest. One clean throw can win it.
Both sports will take place at the SEC Centre, which should help create a busy indoor atmosphere across the Games.
3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball
The 3×3 format gives Glasgow 2026 one of its fastest sports.
Games are shorter than traditional basketball, the court is smaller, and the action rarely slows down. That makes it a good fit for younger fans and casual viewers.
The inclusion of 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball also strengthens the integrated feel of the programme. Both versions of the sport should bring speed, skill and sharp momentum swings.
For a compact Commonwealth Games, 3×3 basketball makes sense. It is easy to stage, easy to watch and built for high-energy sessions.
Bowls and Para Bowls
Bowls may not bring the same speed as cycling or 3×3 basketball, but it has a real place in Commonwealth Games history.
It is a sport of touch, patience and nerve. It also has a strong following across many Commonwealth nations. That gives it a distinct identity in the programme.
Para Bowls adds further importance. The sport has long been accessible and inclusive, and Glasgow 2026 keeps that tradition in place.
For fans who like tension over noise, bowls could offer some of the most absorbing sessions of the Games.
Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting
Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting will take place at the SEC Armadillo.
These sports are built for big moments. Athletes train for years, then everything can come down to one lift. The crowd understands the stakes quickly. The bar either goes up or it does not.
Weightlifting has been a strong Commonwealth Games sport for decades. Para Powerlifting brings its own drama and intensity, with medal hopes often decided by tiny margins.
In a smaller Games, these sports should still cut through. They are clear, powerful and made for pressure.
What makes the Glasgow 2026 programme different?
The biggest difference is focus.
Glasgow 2026 is not trying to cover every Commonwealth Games tradition. It is trying to show that the event can work in a modern, cost-aware format.
That brings clear benefits. Fans get a simpler sports list. Venues are closer together. Existing facilities do most of the work. The schedule should be easier to follow.
However, there are trade-offs. Some popular sports are missing. Some athletes will not get a Commonwealth Games chance in 2026. Some fans will feel the event has lost part of its usual range.
Both views can be true. Glasgow 2026 is smaller, but it still has enough sport to matter. It has speed, strength, skill, endurance and team drama. It also has a record-style Para sport feel built into the main event.
The official schedule overview is available here: Glasgow 2026 competition schedule.
Is Glasgow 2026 still a proper Commonwealth Games?
Yes. It is different, but it is still a Commonwealth Games.
The event will still bring nations and territories together. It will still award medals. It will still give athletes a major international stage. It will still carry the colour, pride and national identity that make the Commonwealth Games distinct.
What changes is the scale.
Instead of trying to be a mini-Olympics, Glasgow 2026 looks more like a focused sports festival. That may prove to be a smart move. The Commonwealth Games need to show they can adapt. A smaller event with strong crowds and good television could be better than an over-stretched event that struggles to find future hosts.
For fans, the best way to approach Glasgow 2026 is simple. Do not judge it only by what is missing. Judge it by whether the sports that are included deliver.
Final thoughts on the Commonwealth Games sports list
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games sports list is lean, but it is not weak.
The 10-sport programme keeps several core Commonwealth Games favourites, including athletics, swimming, cycling, netball, boxing and weightlifting. It also gives Para sport a major role, with six integrated Para sports across the event.
There will be debate about the sports left out. That is fair. A Commonwealth Games without hockey, rugby sevens, badminton or diving will feel unusual to many fans.
Even so, Glasgow 2026 has a clear purpose. It aims to prove that the Commonwealth Games can be smaller, more practical and still exciting.
If the crowds turn up, the athletes perform, and the schedule flows well, Glasgow 2026 may become more than a rescue edition. It may become the blueprint for what the Commonwealth Games need to be next.
FAQ: Commonwealth Games sports list
How many sports are in the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games?
Glasgow 2026 will feature 10 sports.
What are the 10 sports at Glasgow 2026?
The 10 sports are 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball, Artistic Gymnastics, Athletics and Para Athletics, Bowls and Para Bowls, Boxing, Judo, Netball, Swimming and Para Swimming, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, and Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting.
How many Para sports are included?
Six integrated Para sports are included: 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball, Para Athletics, Para Bowls, Para Powerlifting, Para Swimming and Para Track Cycling.
Where will the 2026 Commonwealth Games take place?
The Games will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, across four main venues: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Glasgow International Arena and the Scottish Event Campus.
When are the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games?
The Games run from Thursday 23 July to Sunday 2 August 2026.
Why are some sports missing from Glasgow 2026?
Glasgow 2026 uses a smaller and more affordable model. The programme has been cut to 10 sports so the Games can be staged in existing venues with a tighter footprint.
