Sports announced for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

Boxing is another of the ten sports that will return to Glasgow. (PA Media)

Glasgow, October 22 — Track cycling and boxing are among the events that will be included in the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, it has been revealed.

A stripped-back programme of 10 sports, announced on Tuesday, also includes athletics and swimming as mandatory - but badminton and hockey have been dropped.

The Games, last held in Glasgow in 2014 at a cost of over £540m, will take place across across four venues between 23 July and 2 August 2026.

Glasgow stepped in to host after the Australian state of Victoria pulled out because of rising costs.

A total of 3,000 athletes from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories are expected to compete at the 2026 Games.

The event will also feature "fully integrated para-competitions” across six of the selected sports.

Katie Sadleir, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF), said: "The Games promise to be a truly immersive festival of sport and celebration of culture and diversity that inspires athletes and sports – with a fan experience more accessible than ever before."

First Minister John Swinney said the event is an exciting opportunity for the people of Scotland.

He said: “While Glasgow 2026 will look quite different to previous Games, we can, and we must, use this as an opportunity to work collaboratively to ensure that this new concept brings a strong and sustainable future for the games."

The Scottish Secretary Ian Murray called the confirmation a "a great example of the UK and Scottish governments working together to deliver for Scotland”, citing the £2.3m put forward by the UK government for security costs.

What sports are included?

The CGF said a number of factors, including "universality of participation and quality of competition" as well as local appeal were considered when deciding what sports to include.

The last time the Games were in Glasgow, 17 sports were contested - this time they will feature 10 sports:

• Athletics and para-athletics (track and field only)
• Swimming and para-swimming
• Artistic gymnastics
• Track cycling and para-track cycling
• Netball
• Weightlifting and para-powerlifting
• Boxing
• Judo
• Bowls and para-bowls
• 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball

Organisers said they understand that fans and athletes of sports not included will be "incredibly disappointed" but that these games will not influence future inclusion.

Some sports such as cycling and gymnastics have had their disciplines slimmed down.

The cycling programme for Glasgow 2014 included mountain biking and road races but this time athletes will only compete on the track.

In gymnastics, there is no room for any rhythmic events, with only artistic gymnastics being included.

There will also be no diving competitions.

Organisers told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that the bowls competition - which was held outdoors at Kelvingrove in 2014 - would be held indoors at the SEC campus in 2026.

Hockey has been dropped from the programme despite a national hockey centre being built for the last Glasgow Games.

Ian Reid, the chairman of Commonwealth Games Scotland, said hockey had missed out for a "number of factors".

He explained: "You can imagine the balance we're trying to weigh up, between trying to use the minimum number of venues to keep costs down, looking at home nations success, the number of athletes - hockey would be an additional venue [and a] huge number of athletes that we would have to accommodate."

There will be no road-based events such as the triathlon or marathon on the programme - these were previously free for spectators to attend in 2014.

Rugby sevens, which was previously hosted at Ibrox Stadium is also out and there will be no racquet sports at all.

Mr Reid said playing other sports at Scotstoun - home of the Glasgow Warriors rugby team - were looked at but would not be possible for "technical reasons".

He added that 3x3 basketball had been selected due to it being an easy sport to integrate with para-sport, and that it would help bring a younger audience to the Games.

The event will feature an opening and closing ceremony and there will be some form of King's baton relay before the Games.