In a massive blow to India’s athletic ambitions, the 2026 Commonwealth Games (CWG) roster has been drastically pruned to just 10 core sports. Marquee disciplines including badminton, hockey, T20 cricket, wrestling, table tennis, and squash have been completely excluded.
The drastic decision stems from severe financial constraints. After Australia’s state of Victoria withdrew as host due to skyrocketing budget estimates, Scotland’s Glasgow stepped in to salvage the quadrennial event. To make the 2026 edition financially viable and reduce operational costs, organizers adopted a compressed, budget-friendly model utilizing only four existing venues within an eight-mile corridor. By dropping sports that required dedicated facilities, specialized setups, or extensive security logistics, Glasgow slashed multi-million-dollar venue hiring, branding, and transit expenses.
Severe Impact on India’s Medal Prospects
This radical scaling down directly strips India of its primary gold-mining disciplines. Out of the 61 total medals, India won at the 2022 Birmingham Games (where India finished 4th overall), an astounding 30 medals came from the now-excluded sports:
- Wrestling: 12 medals (6 Gold)
- Table Tennis: 7 medals (4 Gold)
- Badminton: 6 medals (3 Gold)
- Hockey: 2 medals (1 Silver, 1 Bronze)
- Cricket: 1 medal (Silver)
- Squash: 2 medals (2 Bronze)
 Excluded Sports Where India Dominated
  1. Badminton: India topped the badminton medal table in 2022.
  2. Wrestling: Contributed 114 total medals in CWG history.
  3. Table Tennis: Yielded 20 total medals since its 2002 debut.
  4. Hockey: Men’s and women’s teams were podium guarantees.
A Drastic Shift in India’s CWG Tally
At Birmingham 2022, India had already suffered from the omission of shooting—a discipline that historically yielded 135 total CWG medals for the country. The complete removal of wrestling, badminton, table tennis, and hockey for 2026 virtually wipes out nearly 50% of India’s realistic podium opportunities.
Consequently, India’s medal expectations at Glasgow will rely almost exclusively on weightlifting, boxing, track & field, judo, and 3×3 basketball. While the streamlined host model secures the short-term survival of the Commonwealth Games, it undeniably reshapes the competitive landscape to the severe disadvantage of India’s sports contingent.Â
