Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s performance at the 2022 Commonwealth Games (CWG) was impressive, with 61 medals, including 22 golds. However, with the 2026 CWG in Glasgow set to feature a significantly reduced sports programme, India’s chances of repeating this success have been greatly diminished. Six key sports in which India won medals in 2022, including badminton, hockey, and wrestling, will not be part of the 2026 edition.
What’s Changing in CWG 2026?
The Glasgow edition of the CWG has reduced the number of sports to just 10, part of a cost-cutting measure. The following sports, where India has traditionally excelled, have been cut:
- Badminton
- Hockey
- Wrestling
- Table Tennis
- Squash
- Cricket (Women’s T20)
These sports accounted for a substantial number of India’s medals in the 2022 Birmingham CWG, particularly wrestling and badminton, where India has consistently been a strong contender.
Sports Still Included
The 2026 CWG will feature:
- Athletics and Para-athletics
- Boxing
- Bowls and Para-bowls
- Swimming and Para-swimming
- Artistic Gymnastics
- Track Cycling and Para-track Cycling
- Netball
- Weightlifting and Para-powerlifting
- Judo
- 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball
For India, athletics, boxing, and weightlifting offer some hope for medals, but these categories do not traditionally bring the large medal haul that wrestling or badminton would.
Impact on India’s Medal Tally
At the 2022 CWG, India’s medal tally was dominated by sports like wrestling (12 medals), badminton (6 medals), table tennis (7 medals), and cricket. With these sports missing in 2026, India’s overall medal count is expected to take a hit.
Why the Changes?
The decision to cut down on the number of sports comes as part of cost-saving measures by Glasgow, which took over the 2026 CWG hosting duties at the last minute. Organizers have termed the 2026 edition the “Commonwealth Games Lite,” as they attempt to keep the event financially viable.