SASCOC | 2026 Commonwealth Games reduced to 10 sports
The next Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow in 2026, will stage a streamlined 10 sports programme, with team sports rugby sevens, hockey and cricket among those removed from the competition.
Photo: Team SA Sevens at Birmingham 2022 Games by Roger Sedres
The Scottish city came in as a late replacement for Australia’s Victoria, who were the original 2026 hosts but withdrew a year ago, and last staged the Games in 2014. It will be held from 23rd July to 2nd August 2026.
Para-sports remain included. The sports being contested at the 2026 Commonwealth Games are: Athletics and Para Athletics, Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball.
Among the sports that have been removed from the programme are Archery, Badminton, Diving, Hockey, Rowing, Rugby Sevens, Squash, Shooting and Triathlon.
Team South Africa have competed in 14 of the 22 Commonwealth Games’ staged and won a total of 416 medals, including 137 gold.
At the last Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham 2022, Team SA returned with 27 medals comprising seven gold, nine silver and 11 bronze medals.
Gold medallists in Birmingham were swimmers Lara van Niekerk (2), Pieter Coetze and Tatjana Smith, while the men’s Sevens Rugby team also took gold as did judo’s Michaela Whitebooi and para-athlete Jonathan Ntutu.
