The Commonwealth Games 2026 (Glasgow 2026) is set to deliver a sharp, fan-friendly multi-sport experience built around a compact 10-sport programme. With limited time available to organise the event, the Games have been designed to keep the schedule tight while still offering a strong spread of medal sessions across track, pool, indoor arenas, and cycling.
If you’re following Glasgow 2026 closely, it helps to keep your readers connected to supporting pages that answer the two most common questions: “When are the events?” and “How do I get tickets?” For ongoing updates and related posts, you can point them to CWG Updates, and for the day-by-day timeline, use the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games schedule.
Glasgow 2026 Sports List and Medal Events
Glasgow 2026 will run with 10 sports, but the Games still pack a strong medal programme thanks to multiple disciplines and Para events included within the roster.
Glasgow 2026 Sports and Event Counts
| Sport / Discipline | Medal events |
|---|---|
| Athletics | 43 |
| Para-athletics | 16 |
| 3×3 Basketball | 2 |
| 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball | 2 |
| Bowls | 4 |
| Para Bowls | 3 |
| Boxing | 14 |
| Artistic Gymnastics | 14 |
| Judo | 14 |
| Netball | 1 |
| Swimming | 42 |
| Para Swimming | 14 |
| Track Cycling | 18 |
| Para Track Cycling | 8 |
| Weightlifting | 16 |
| Para Powerlifting | 4 |
More News: Everything you need to know about the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Sports Dropped From the Previous Games
A shorter sports list means some crowd favourites and multi-event categories won’t be part of the Glasgow 2026 programme. Sports dropped include:
- Rugby sevens
- Field hockey
- Badminton
- Triathlon
- Twenty20 cricket
- Squash
- Diving
- Table tennis
- Beach volleyball
- Rhythmic gymnastics
- Wrestling
In addition, certain disciplines were also removed within athletics and cycling, including marathons and race walking, plus mountain bike and road cycling. Even with these removals, the Games still aim to keep variety through smart format updates in several sports.
Key Changes to the Glasgow 2026 Sporting Programme
Parasports Take a Bigger Spotlight
Glasgow 2026 will feature the largest number of Para sport finals in Commonwealth Games history, with 47 finals across six sports. This is a major shift in how the Games feel as a whole—Para events won’t just “feature”; they’ll be central to the daily medal narrative across athletics, aquatics, bowls, and cycling.
Athletics Updates: Mixed 4×400 and the Return of the Mile
Athletics brings both modern additions and a strong nod to tradition:
- The mixed 4×400 relay is included, adding a fast, high-energy team event to the programme.
- The Mile returns and replaces the 1,500m track event—last held at the Commonwealth Games in 1966.
- For the first time ever, the Mile will be contested by women, creating a fresh headline around a classic distance.
- Para-athletics will cover all three major areas: track races, throwing events, and jumps.
Also Read: Glasgow 2026: A Preview of the Commonwealth Games.
Basketball Expansion: More Teams in 3×3
The 3×3 basketball events grow in size:
- The standing 3×3 tournament expands to 12 teams
- The wheelchair 3×3 tournament increases to 8 teams
This usually translates into more match variety, more short-format intensity, and more sessions that are easy for casual viewers to jump into.
Bowls Goes Indoors With a Streamlined Format
One of the biggest programme changes is bowls moving indoors instead of being played on grass. With the revised format, the event list is reduced from 11 events to 7, with triples and fours removed. It’s a cleaner structure that fits the tight schedule while keeping bowls competitive and viewer-friendly.
Cycling Rebalance: More Para Track Cycling Finals
Despite the removal of mountain biking and street events, the total cycling programme still holds at 26 events. The most important change is the Para side: Para track cycling finals increase from 4 to 8, doubling medal opportunities and strengthening the overall inclusivity of the cycling programme.
Swimming Adds Two New Distance Events
Swimming increases from 52 to 54 events across Para and non-Para competitions through the addition of:
- Men’s 800m freestyle
- Women’s 1500m freestyle
These longer races add depth to the schedule and give endurance swimmers more moments to shine.
Final Thoughts
The Commonwealth Games 2026 sports events programme may be smaller than previous editions, but it’s designed to feel busy, modern, and meaningful—with record-setting Para finals, refreshed formats, and a strong medal spread across core sports.