Cricket, hockey dropped from Commonwealth Games 2026; Big jolt for India!

India's medal hopes have taken a significant blow for the 2026 Commonwealth Games after the Glasgow Games organizing committee decided to cut several key sports, including cricket, hockey, and shooting. This decision was part of an effort to streamline the event and reduce costs, following Australia’s withdrawal as host due to budgetary concerns.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Glasgow Games organizers announced a sharp reduction in the number of sports, trimming the lineup from 19 at the 2022 Birmingham Games to just 10 disciplines for 2026. With this, India’s stronghold in events like hockey, badminton, and wrestling, which have been crucial to the country's medal tally, will be sorely missed. Shooting, a sport in which India has historically excelled, contributing 135 medals, including 63 gold, has been particularly devastating to lose.

The decision to include only 10 sporting events has raised questions about how the choices were made. Was the selection process designed to give Scotland an advantage, or were financial constraints and logistical challenges the main reasons behind these exclusions?

According to the organizers, the decision to scale down the sports program was a necessary move to manage the rising costs associated with hosting the Games. The final lineup of sports includes:

• 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
• 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball

Noticeably absent from the list are cricket, table tennis, squash, and road racing. Hockey, which has become a significant draw at the Commonwealth Games, and wrestling, another major medal event for India, were also excluded. With 114 medals from wrestling and 135 from shooting, India's potential medal haul is expected to drop drastically.

Glasgow’s decision to retain only 10 sports may reflect a return to a more traditional Commonwealth Games format. Historically, the Games included fewer events, and it was only after 1998 that the number expanded to include 15–20 sports. While this change may allow future hosts to balance financial constraints and operational feasibility, it is a significant departure from the expanded format seen in recent years.

India’s sporting bodies have expressed disappointment over the exclusions, particularly with shooting and wrestling, which have long been pillars of the country’s success at the Games. The absence of these disciplines from the 2026 Games will likely force a recalibration of India’s preparations and expectations.