2026 Commonwealth Games- Glasgow, Scotland are the new host.

[Bob]

I don't think they will drop Netball it is really popular here and not expensive to host.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

The only thing that made me wonder about netball is that it's women only, so I don't know how that works with limiting events. But it's a big Commonwealth sport, and as you say @Bob, not expensive.

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

The only thing that made me wonder about netball is that it's women only, so I don't know how that works with limiting events. But it's a big Commonwealth sport, and as you say, not expensive.

I'd be astounded if they drop netball - the best teams in the world are all in the Commonwealth and international games usually draw decent crowds. And while the lack of men's competition is what keeps it out of the Olympics, even a Scottish sports administrator would surely think twice before saying "We're axing the UK's most popular women's sport because it's not fair on blokes".

The other thing they'll have to consider is which ones work as para sports too...

 

[RAFIKI]

The AUS-ENG netball rivalry is strong and a big draw so I would also hope that netball is safe. The latter rounds of netball could be put in the Hydro arena once gymnastics has finished. It would be a shame to lose sports that aren't in the Olympics e.g. squash.

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

The AUS-ENG netball rivalry is strong and a big draw so I would also hope that netball is safe. The latter rounds of netball could be put in the Hydro arena once gymnastics has finished. It would be a shame to lose sports that aren't in the Olympics e.g. squash.

Squash is finally making it to the Olympics in 2028, which is long overdue. I just checked and the top 20 nations in the world netball rankings are all Commonwealth members, so it would be bonkers to drop it.

 

[RAFIKI]

Hockey, rugby and cricket cut from streamlined 2026 Commonwealth Games

Lawn bowls has avoided the axe from the streamlined 2026 Commonwealth Games which has abandoned high-profile sports hockey, rugby sevens and cricket

www.theguardian.com

“Badminton, beach volleyball, diving, non-track cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, squash and table tennis are expected to be culled.”

Some surprising cuts.

Here are the logos…



Saw on twitter yesterday that the dates overlap with Euros

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

Saw on twitter yesterday that the dates overlap with Euros

Euros are 30th July to 9th August, CWGs are 23rd July to 2nd August.

 

[MaryClare]

No rugby 7s? I thought that was very popular

 

[RedBirdie]

Yeah, very surprised there's no rugby.

I do admire the commitment to para sports. Of the 10 sports, 6 of them have a para counterpart.

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

No rugby 7s? I thought that was very popular

Gets good numbers on TV but it wasn't exactly hard to get tickets for it at Birmingham (or rather Coventry), loads of empty seats. For 2026 they seem to have gone for ones they can confidently sell out (gymnastics, athletics in a small stadium, swimming, track cycling), ones that work well with the para element (weightlifting, bowls, 3x3), ones that are cheap and easy to stage and have low barriers to entry for poorer nations (boxing and judo) and, for all the reasons stated upthread, netball.

 

[RAFIKI]

I do admire the commitment to para sports. Of the 10 sports, 6 of them have a para counterpart.

Agreed. It’s particularly striking in the tweet graphic. Wonder if the CWG will last long enough to get a para version of everything? We’ve discussed BG’s efforts to make para-gymnastics a thing. Surely wheelchair netball would be doable? Paranetball already exists and Judo is in the Paralympics. That just leaves boxing which I’d be quite happy to see disappear forever anyway.

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

That just leaves boxing which I’d be quite happy to see disappear forever anyway.

Wheelchair boxing is very much A Thing, they've been agitating for a Paralympic spot for ages.

 

[MaryClare]

Wheelchair boxing is very much A Thing, they've been agitating for a Paralympic spot for ages.

Wow. So boxing, but with the addition of hard, metal structures. Lovely

 

[rlayt]

So many questions….Do they have to pad the wheelchairs or is breaking a chair or hand an acceptable consequence…

 

[irichluck21]

Surprised they took out diving given how popular the sport is in the UK especially with Tom Daley and crew.

 

[OnlyBeansOnToast]

Surprised they took out diving given how popular the sport is in the UK especially with Tom Daley and crew.

Apparently there are only two diving pools in Scotland that have the right combination of boards to host an international event. One is i Aberdeen and only has a few hundred seats. The other is in Edinburgh, but it hosted the diving when Glasgow last had the CWGs so I'm not sure why they couldn't do it now.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

Yeah, very surprised there's no rugby.

I do admire the commitment to para sports. Of the 10 sports, 6 of them have a para counterpart.

Yeah, it's one of the best things about CWG. Huge opportunity for para athletes. And they've been doing this a long time now, decades. It's baked in.

 

[MaryClare]

Apparently there are only two diving pools in Scotland that have the right combination of boards to host an international event. One is i Aberdeen and only has a few hundred seats. The other is in Edinburgh, but it hosted the diving when Glasgow last had the CWGs so I'm not sure why they couldn't do it now.

I think the royal commonwealth pool in Edinburgh is closing for a year for refurbishment or something.

I have posted previously about the time that Glasgow tried to build a diving pool….

 

[irichluck21]

Oh so only artistic gymnastics. Rhythmic is cut from 2026.

 

[MaryClare]

Oh so only artistic gymnastics. Rhythmic is cut from 2026.

That’s not surprising, I’m amazed it survived as long as it did