Sports
Why Is Cricket Missing From the Commonwealth Games 2026? The Real Reason Behind Glasgow’s Biggest Sporting Decision
The Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 have dropped cricket along with several other popular sports as organizers cut the programme from 19 events to just 10 to keep the Games financially sustainable.
As the Commonwealth Games 2026 get underway in Glasgow, Scotland, fans have noticed one major omission from the sporting calendar—cricket.
The sport, which made a successful return at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, is not part of this year’s competition. In fact, cricket is among nine sports removed from the programme as organizers significantly reduced the scale of the Games.
The decision has disappointed cricket fans and countries like India, where the sport enjoys immense popularity and has contributed to the nation’s medal tally in recent years.
Why Was Cricket Dropped From Glasgow 2026?
The primary reason behind cricket’s exclusion is financial and logistical constraints.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games were originally scheduled to be hosted by Victoria, Australia. However, the Australian state withdrew from hosting in 2023, citing rapidly rising costs and budget concerns.
Following Victoria’s withdrawal, Glasgow stepped in as the replacement host in September 2024, leaving organizers with limited time to prepare for a global multi-sport event.
To ensure the Games could be delivered within a manageable budget, organizers decided to reduce the overall programme from 19 sports at Birmingham 2022 to 10 sports in Glasgow 2026. As a result, several high-profile disciplines—including cricket—were removed.
When Did Cricket Feature in the Commonwealth Games?
Cricket has appeared only twice in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
Its first appearance came at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games, where a men’s One-Day International (ODI) tournament featuring 16 teams was held. South Africa, captained by Shaun Pollock, won the gold medal after defeating Australia in the final, while New Zealand secured bronze.
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The sport then disappeared from the Games for 24 years before making its return at Birmingham 2022, this time as a women’s T20 tournament featuring eight teams.
Australia, led by Meg Lanning, claimed the gold medal, India won silver, and New Zealand finished with bronze.
Sports Dropped From Glasgow 2026
Compared to the previous edition, the following sports have been removed:
- Cricket
- Badminton
- Hockey
- Squash
- Table Tennis
- Triathlon
- Wrestling
- Beach Volleyball
- Rugby Sevens
Sports Retained for Glasgow 2026
The Games will feature the following 10 sports:
- Athletics
- Swimming
- Track Cycling
- Weightlifting
- 3×3 Basketball
- Bowls
- Netball
- Artistic Gymnastics
- Judo
- Boxing
A Major Blow to India’s Medal Hopes
The reduced programme is expected to significantly impact India’s medal prospects.
At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, India finished fourth in the medal standings with 61 medals.
Remarkably, 30 of those medals came from sports that are no longer part of the Glasgow programme:
- Wrestling – 12 medals
- Table Tennis – 7 medals
- Badminton – 6 medals
- Hockey – 2 medals
- Squash – 2 medals
- Cricket – 1 medal
Adding to the challenge, shooting and archery—two sports in which India has traditionally excelled—are also absent from the Commonwealth Games schedule.
With several of India’s strongest medal-winning disciplines missing, the country’s challenge in Glasgow 2026 will be considerably tougher than in previous editions.
