India's medal hopes for the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG) have taken a major hit with the exclusion of cricket, field hockey, badminton, and wrestling from the event's sports program. The games, set to take place in Glasgow from July 23 to August 2, 2026, will see a drastically reduced roster of 10 sports.
This marks a substantial change for India, as the removed sports have historically been key to the nation's medal haul. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) announced that the 2026 edition will include only athletics, swimming, 3x3 basketball, track cycling, weightlifting, lawn bowls, artistic gymnastics, netball, boxing, and judo. Para-sports events will be integrated into the program, covering athletics, swimming, basketball, cycling, and weightlifting.
The games will be held across four venues: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena (including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome), and the Scottish Event Campus.
The slimmer 2026 schedule contrasts sharply with the 2022 Birmingham CWG, which featured 20 sports, including popular events like table tennis, rugby sevens, squash, and rhythmic gymnastics. Shooting, another stronghold for India, was excluded from both the Birmingham and Glasgow editions.
India’s past success in wrestling and shooting, where the country has secured 114 and 135 medals, respectively, highlights the significance of the exclusion. Wrestling alone accounted for 12 medals in the 2022 CWG, including six golds. Field hockey, missing for the first time since its inclusion in 1998, is another major blow. India has won six hockey medals across both the men’s and women’s competitions, with Australia being the only team to outperform them.
Badminton, table tennis, and squash have also contributed to India's strong presence at the CWG, with 31 medals in badminton, 28 in table tennis, and five in squash. The absence of these sports could severely limit India's medal prospects in 2026.
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