India hit hard as 2026 CWG drops hockey, wrestling, badminton from roster to manage budget

London: In a body blow to India’s medal prospects in the Commonwealth Games, key sports such as hockey, badminton, wrestling, cricket and shooting have been dropped from the 2026 edition by host city Glasgow, which unveiled a pruned roster of 10 disciplines to keep the event budget-friendly and free of “operational risks”.

Table tennis, squash and triathlon have also been axed in a bid to limit the cost and streamline logistics given that only four venues will host the entire showpiece. The total number of events at the Games will be nine fewer compared to the 2022 Birmingham edition.

“The Games will include 10 sports – striking a balance between ensuring the event has a multi-sport feel and the need to manage financial and operational risk,” the Commonwealth Games Federation said in a statement.

“The sports programme will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball,” the Commonwealth Games Federation said in a statement.

The 23rd edition of the Games is scheduled to take place from July 23 to August 2, marking Glasgow’s return as host after 12 years.

“The Games will take place across four venues — Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena — including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC). Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation,” it added.

The roster is a massive setback to India’s medal prospects given that bulk of the country’s medals came from the removed disciplines in the past editions. Shooting was never expected to return after being dropped from the Birmingham programme four years ago, owing to logistics.

While announcing the Glasgow schedule, the CGF said “Glasgow 2026 will feature a 10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor”.

This ruled shooting out of the roster as the Barry Buddon centre in Dundee — the venue during the 2014 CWG — is more than 100km away from Glasgow. Also, archery continued to be ignored. The sport last featured at the Games in the 2010 Delhi edition.

Glasgow Green, which hosted hockey in 2014, has been dropped from the list of venues, while the Emirates Arena, where badminton was held that year, will be used only for cycling this time at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome there.

“Cost and operational risk were the main drivers. Every venue introduced brings added costs and complexity for venue hire, security, transport etc. To minimise those risks, it was determined that it would be too costly to add additional venues,” the organisers stated justifying limiting the Games to just four venues.

Aside from cost, hockey’s exclusion could also be down to the fact that the Games are being organised close to the World Cup that is scheduled two weeks later from August 15 to 30 in Wavre, Belgium and Amstelveen, Netherlands

The Australian state of Victoria was the original host of the 2026 edition but pulled out last year due to rising costs. Scotland then stepped in to save the Games.

Hockey’s omission from the Games would be a significant blow for India. The men’s team has won three silver and two bronze medals, while the women have also shone, clinching three medals, including a historic gold in the 2002 Games.

In badminton, India has racked up an impressive 31 medals — 10 gold, eight silver, and 13 bronze.

Notably, the nation was to enter the 2026 edition as defending champions in men’s and women’s singles, as well as men’s doubles.

Shooting was a stronghold for India, with a staggering 135 medals to its name. The count included 63 gold, 44 silver, and 28 bronze.

The wrestling competition has yielded 114 medals for the nation, including 49 gold, 39 silver, and 26 bronzes.

After the cricket’s reintroduction in 2022, the Indian women’s team claimed a silver.

Para-athletes have been a part of the Games since the 2002 Manchester edition and will continue to be there in the 2026 edition as well.

“Para sport will once again be fully integrated as a key priority and point of difference for the Games, with six Para sports included on the sport programme,” CGF said.

The CGF said that the Games will deliver over 100 million pounds of “inward investment into the city” and is expected to add an economic value of over 150 million pounds for the region.

The body asserted that all this would be possible thanks to a model “that has been specially designed to not require public funding for the delivery of the Games.”