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Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games: All you need to know about the 23rd edition, featuring 74 nations, 10 sports and 215 gold medals.
Commonwealth Games is all set to start on Friday
The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games is all set to roll on Friday, July 23, with 74 countries all set to take part in the 10-day extravaganza, with almost 3000 athletes swooping into Glasgow for their moment of glory. The event’s first edition was in 1930 and it will complete a century in India with its next edition.
After a turbulent spell that left the event’s future hanging in the balance, the spotlight will shift to Scotland’s biggest city tomorrow as it hosts competitions across a range of sports.
Here is all you need to know about the Glasgow Commonwealth Games:
When Will the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Be Held?
The Games will be held from tomorrow through to Sunday, August 2, starting with the opening ceremony at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro. Sporting action gets underway the next day, with basketball, bowling and swimming among the first events on the schedule.
The first medal of the Games will be awarded in para powerlifting. As many as eight Indians will take part in the event, so you might want to have an eye on this.
The event will conclude on Sunday, August 2, with medals to be decided in sports including netball and cycling before the closing ceremony.
Where Will the 2026 Commonwealth Games Take Place?
Glasgow will host the Games for the second time, having staged the event in 2014. The Scottish city stepped in after the Games’ future was thrown into doubt when the Aussie state of Victoria withdrew as host over rising costs.
After months of uncertainty, Glasgow was confirmed as the host of a scaled-down edition of the Games in September 2024. It marks Scotland’s third time staging the event, having hosted it in Edinburgh in 1970 and 1986, before Glasgow welcomed the Games in 2014.
Which Sports Will Feature at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games?
This year’s Games will feature 10 sports, down from 17 when Glasgow last hosted the event in 2014. The reduced programme reflects a more cost-conscious approach, with fewer sports helping to keep expenses in check.
The 10 sports that will be played are athletics and para athletics, swimming and para swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and para weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para bowls, 3*3 basketball and 3*3 wheelchair basketball.
The trimmed programme proved disappointing for multiple sports that were left out, including hockey, despite Glasgow being home to the National Hockey Centre, as well as all racquet sports.
Which Venues Will Host Events at Glasgow 2026?
The tournament will be staged across four venues. The Tollcross International Swimming Centre will host swimming and para-swimming events, while athletics and para-athletics competitions will take place at Scotstoun Stadium.
The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and Arena will serve as the venue for track cycling, para-track cycling and artistic gymnastics. The remaining events will be held at the Scottish Event Campus, with competitions spread across its various facilities.
Glasgow’s largest music venue, the OVO Hydro, will trade concerts for netball action and the opening ceremony. Meanwhile, the SEC Armadillo concert hall will stage the weightlifting and powerlifting events.
The SEC Centre will host a range of events, including 3×3 basketball, 3×3 wheelchair basketball, bowls, para-bowls, boxing and judo. The biggest change from the 2014 edition will see athletics, one of the Games’ biggest attractions, move to the smaller Scotstoun Stadium instead of Hampden Park, which had a capacity of almost 52,000.
In contrast, Scotstoun Stadium is expected to accommodate around 11,000 spectators with temporary seating added. Despite the reduced capacity, athletics might remain one of the most sought-after events of the Games.
Will Glasgow 2026 Have an Opening Ceremony?
Both the opening and closing ceremonies are scheduled to be held as part of Glasgow 2026. The OVO Hydro will host the opening ceremony tomorrow, with organisers promising performances from major international artists, rising talents and a cast of volunteers.
Around 600 volunteers will be involved in this year’s Games. The 2014 opening ceremony at Celtic Park featured dancing Tunnock’s tea cakes, performances from Rod Stewart and Susan Boyle and an unexpected humorous moment when Commonwealth Games Federation president Prince Imran struggled to open the Queen’s baton before handing it to the monarch.
The King’s Baton Relay for the event is in Glasgow, Scotland, where it’s completing its final domestic tour before being handed over to King Charles III during tomorrow’s Opening Ceremony.
How Many Medals Will Be Awarded at Glasgow 2026?
A total of 215 gold medals will be contested at the Games. Despite being scaled back, the event will feature the largest-ever swimming, cycling and 3×3 basketball programmes in its history.
The Games will also feature the highest number of Para-sport events in its history. The medals, designed by award-winning artist Militsa Milenkova, draw inspiration from the host city, incorporating an inclusive braille-based design.
They celebrate Glasgow’s industrial heritage by featuring elements such as the Finnieston Crane and the city’s coat of arms.
Which Countries & Athletes Are Competing at Glasgow 2026?
A total of 74 nations will compete at the Games, two more than the 2022 edition, with Gabon and Togo making their debut appearances. The size of each country’s delegation will vary, as seen at Birmingham 2022, where England fielded the largest team with 438 athletes, while Montserrat had just five representatives.
Scotland, meanwhile, sent a contingent of 254 athletes that year.
Those figures are expected to be lower in Glasgow because of the reduced number of sports on offer, but a host of athletes will still be chasing their dreams of glory.
How To Watch The Commonwealth Games In India?
In India, the Commonwealth Games 2026 will be available live on Sony Sports Network, with online streaming offered through the Sony LIV app and website. DD Free Dish users can also watch the action for free on DD Sports.
How Did India Fare At The 2014 Glasgow CWG?
India fielded a 215-member contingent for the event. India won 15 gold medals, 30 silver and 90 bronze medals. Vikas Gowda ended India’s 56-year wait for a men’s athletics gold at the CWG by winning the discus throw title.
Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal also created history by bagging India’s first-ever squash gold medal at the Games.
Parupalli Kashyap created history by winning the badminton men’s singles gold medal, becoming the first Indian male shuttler in 32 years to claim the top honour in the event at the CWG.
Dipa Karmakar clinched a bronze medal in the women’s Vault event at the 2014 CWG, becoming the first Indian female gymnast to win a medal at an international competition.
Who Is the Mascot of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games?
The new mascot for the Games is Finnie, a unicorn featuring a traffic cone as its horn. The character made its official debut at Glasgow’s iconic Finnieston Crane and was created with input from schoolchildren across the city.
The scaled-down Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will feature 10 able-bodied sports and six para sports. Specific sports mentioned include athletics, boxing, 3×3 basketball, 3×3 wheelchair basketball, bowls, para bowls, judo, and swimming.
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