Masudur Rahman, Dhaka: After a long period of uncertainty surrounding the fate of the 2026 Commonwealth Games, the event is finally set to take place in Glasgow, Scotland. This major global sporting spectacle will run from July 23 to August 2, 2026. However, significant changes have been introduced to this edition of the Games to reduce costs and ensure sustainability, sparking widespread discussion in the sports world.
Glasgow’s return as a rescuer comes after Australia’s Victoria, initially slated to host, withdrew citing cost concerns. In this critical moment, Glasgow stepped forward. Having successfully hosted the Games in 2014, the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has once again placed its trust in the city. However, this edition will adopt a streamlined and cost-effective model.
The biggest surprise, or for many, a disappointing piece of news for this edition, is the dramatic reduction in the number of sports. To save budget and time, only 10 sports have been included in the final list: Athletics, Swimming, Gymnastics, Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting, Boxing, Judo, Lawn Bowls, and 3×3 Basketball.
Many other popular sports and key medal-winning disciplines for South Asian countries — such as Hockey, Cricket, Badminton, Wrestling, Table Tennis, Squash, Shooting (which was not present in 2022 and will not return this time), Rugby Sevens, Diving, Triathlon, Beach Volleyball, Mountain Biking, and Rhythmic Gymnastics — have been excluded.
The decision has been made to host the event using existing infrastructure in Glasgow, foregoing the construction of any new luxurious stadiums or accommodation facilities. Scotstoun Stadium is being prepared for Athletics, and Tollcross International Swimming Centre for Swimming. According to the organizers, this will be the most environmentally friendly and sustainable sports event in history.
The Commonwealth Games Federation believes that Glasgow’s ‘low-budget’ model will pave a new path for the future, encouraging other nations to consider hosting. At a time when many countries were shying away from hosting due to the burden of excessive costs, Glasgow’s condensed version is offering a new way to uphold the Games’ tradition.