Badminton, Cricket and Hockey Left Out of 2026 Commonwealth Games

Badminton Among Sports Dropped from 2026 Commonwealth Games

The 2026 Commonwealth Games, set to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, will look very different from previous editions. Badminton, cricket, hockey, wrestling, and a number of other well-known sports have been left off the program, a decision that has drawn considerable attention from athletes, federations, and fans alike.

The primary reason is not a controversy or a political dispute. It comes down to money and logistics. Glasgow stepped in as a late replacement host after the original host, Victoria in Australia, withdrew in 2023 citing ballooning costs. With a much tighter budget and a condensed preparation window, organizers were forced to significantly scale back the scope of the Games.

Rather than building or upgrading multiple venues across a wide area, Glasgow's 2026 edition will operate with a reduced set of facilities. That means only sports that can be accommodated within the existing infrastructure will make the cut. Badminton, which requires purpose-built or adapted indoor arenas, did not fit within those constraints alongside all the other disciplines that would normally appear.

A Stripped-Back Program by Necessity

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will focus on a smaller, more concentrated program of sports. The Commonwealth Games Federation confirmed that the event would proceed with around ten sports, a sharp drop from the 20-plus disciplines that featured in Birmingham in 2022.

Cricket, which made a celebrated return to the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham 2022 in its T20 format for women, will not be on the schedule. Hockey, a sport with deep Commonwealth ties, is also absent. Wrestling, boxing, and several other traditional Games sports face the same situation.

For badminton specifically, the absence is significant. The sport has long been a flagship event at the Commonwealth Games, drawing large crowds and producing high-profile moments, particularly for nations like India, Malaysia, and England. Its removal is a practical consequence of the budget-driven restructuring rather than any reflection on the sport's standing within the Commonwealth movement.

What Happened to the Original Host?

Understanding the cuts requires looking back at how Glasgow ended up hosting in the first place. The state of Victoria in Australia was awarded the 2026 Games but pulled out in July 2023, stating that the projected cost had grown to around A$6 billion, far beyond initial estimates. The withdrawal left the Commonwealth Games Federation scrambling to find a replacement with very little lead time.

Glasgow, which hosted the Games in 2014, was identified as a viable option because of its existing venues and organizational experience. However, the city and the Scottish government took on the event under strict financial conditions. The budget agreed for the Glasgow edition is a fraction of what a standard Commonwealth Games would cost, and the program was trimmed accordingly to make the numbers work.

What the 2026 Games Will Include

While the full and final sport list is subject to confirmation, the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games is expected to include athletics, swimming, gymnastics, cycling, weightlifting, judo, bowls, and a small number of other disciplines that can be delivered within the available venues and budget.

For athletes in sports like badminton, cricket, and hockey, the absence from 2026 does not affect their standing in international competition elsewhere. Major international tours, World Championships, and other multi-sport events continue on their own calendars. But for many Commonwealth nations where these sports carry enormous national significance, missing a Games cycle is a meaningful gap.

The situation has renewed debate about the long-term sustainability of the Commonwealth Games model. Critics argue that the event has grown too large and expensive for most cities to realistically host, while supporters say the Games provide smaller nations with a platform that the Olympics cannot. Glasgow 2026 may end up being a test case for a leaner, more affordable format that could shape how the event is organized in future cycles.