India is set to face a significant setback in the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games, as many of the sports in which the country has excelled are being excluded from the competition. The next edition of the Commonwealth Games will include only 10 sports, compared to previous editions, which could heavily impact India’s medal prospects.
Key Dates and Location
The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held from July 23 to August 4 in Scotland, marking the Glasgow edition. However, this edition comes with a major decision that could severely affect India’s performance. Several sports, where Indian athletes traditionally perform well, have been removed from the games, potentially costing the country a number of medals.
Major Sports Excluded
The 2022 edition of the Commonwealth Games, held in Birmingham, featured 19 sports. Among them, key disciplines like shooting, wrestling, cricket, hockey, badminton, diving, road cycling, beach volleyball, mountain biking, rugby sevens, rhythmic gymnastics, table tennis, para-table tennis, squash, and triathlon have been excluded from the 2026 edition. These exclusions, particularly wrestling, hockey, shooting, and badminton, are expected to impact India the most, as these are events where Indian athletes have consistently won medals.
New Sports Added
While several major sports have been removed, the 2026 edition will see the inclusion of new sports like para-boxing, athletics bowls, and para bowls. The full list of sports can be found on the official Commonwealth Games website.
Why Were Hockey and Shooting Removed?
One of the primary reasons for the exclusion of hockey is its scheduling conflict with the Hockey World Cup, which will be held from August 15 to 30, 2026, in Belgium and the Netherlands. This overlap forced the organizers to drop hockey from the Commonwealth Games. Shooting, another event where Indian athletes have traditionally performed well, has also been removed due to the logistical challenges and cost concerns, as the nearest shooting range is over 100 kilometers from Glasgow.
India’s Medal Haul in 2022
Cost-cutting measures have been cited as the primary reason for removing these sports. In the 2022 Commonwealth Games, India secured 25 medals in the excluded sports, including 12 in wrestling, 10 in badminton, 2 in hockey, and 1 in cricket. With these events now off the table, India stands to lose a significant number of potential medals in 2026.
