Why Cricket is not part of Commonwealth Games 2026

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will begin in Glasgow, Scotland, but cricket will not be part of this year's event. Fans will also notice the absence of other sports, including badminton, wrestling, shooting and hockey. These sports were removed after the number of disciplines was reduced from 19 at the 2022 Commonwealth Games to just 10 in 2026.

Cricket returned to the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham 2022 as a women's T20 tournament featuring eight teams. Australia won the gold medal, while India claimed silver and New Zealand secured bronze. The tournament was considered a success and helped bring cricket back to the Commonwealth Games after a long gap.

Despite that success, cricket has been dropped from the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Reports have suggested that budget constraints and the late withdrawal of Victoria as the original host played a major role in reducing the number of sports. In this article, we explain why cricket will not be part of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026 despite its successful return in 2022.

Cricket made a successful return in 2022 — So why is it missing in 2026?

Cricket returned to the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham 2022 after first appearing in 1998 at Kuala Lumpur. The 2022 edition featured a women's T20 tournament with eight teams. Australia won the gold medal, India claimed silver, and New Zealand took the bronze medal. The tournament attracted strong fan interest and was widely seen as a success.

Despite its successful return, cricket will not be part of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2026. The decision was not made because of low viewership, lack of interest, or player availability. Instead, it was linked to changes in the overall planning of the event.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games were originally scheduled to be held in Victoria, Australia, but the state withdrew due to rising costs. Glasgow later stepped in to host the event with a reduced budget and a smaller programme. As a result, the number of sports was cut from 19 to 10, and cricket, along with hockey, rugby sevens, and badminton, was removed from the final list of events.

Here's the real reason behind cricket's exclusion from Glasgow 2026

Cricket was left out of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games mainly because of budget constraints. The event was originally scheduled to be held in Victoria, Australia, but the state withdrew as host due to rising costs. Glasgow later agreed to host the Games with a smaller budget, which led to a reduced sports programme.

To keep the Games affordable and sustainable, the organisers reduced the number of sports from 19 to 10. As a result, cricket, along with badminton, hockey, squash, table tennis, triathlon, wrestling, beach volleyball, and rugby sevens, was removed from the final programme. Commonwealth Sport CEO Katie Sadleir said the new model aims to reduce costs, lower the environmental impact, and make it easier for more countries to host the Games in the future.

Will cricket return to Commonwealth Games? What's next explained

Cricket may return to the Commonwealth Games in the future, but it will not be part of the Glasgow 2026 edition. The sport was removed because of budget issues and changes to the event's planning. The decision was not based on the popularity of cricket or the success of the 2022 tournament.

The problems began after several changes in the hosting plans for the Commonwealth Games. Birmingham hosted the 2022 edition after Durban lost the hosting rights. The 2026 Games were later awarded to Victoria, Australia, but the state government withdrew because of rising costs. Glasgow was then confirmed as the new host in September 2024.

With less than three years to prepare, the organisers decided to hold a smaller and more affordable event. As a result, the number of sports was reduced significantly, and cricket was among the events removed. However, the sport could return in future Commonwealth Games if a host city has the required budget, venues, and infrastructure.

Although cricket will not be part of Glasgow 2026, the sport has a bright future in multi-sport events. Cricket will return to the Olympics at the Los Angeles 2028 Games with men's and women's T20 tournaments. Since the Commonwealth Games host city changes every four years, cricket could also return in future editions if the host has the required facilities and budget.