The 2026 Commonwealth Games present a very different challenge for India compared to the previous edition. After collecting 61 medals in 2022, the Indian contingent heads to Glasgow aiming for another strong campaign despite a much smaller programme.

This year’s Games feature only 10 sports instead of 19, making every medal opportunity even more valuable. The reduced schedule has also removed several disciplines that have traditionally contributed significantly to India’s overall medal tally.

Why the Commonwealth Games 2026 have fewer sports?

The biggest change in the 2026 Commonwealth Games is the trimmed-down list of events.

The original host, Victoria in Australia, withdrew from staging the Games after costs rose sharply. Glasgow later agreed to host the event with a much tighter budget, leading to a streamlined format featuring just 10 sports.

Compared to the 2022 edition, nine sports have been dropped from the programme. Many of those events were among India’s strongest medal-producing disciplines, making the competition more challenging for the country.

Some of the dropped sports from the roster are:

Wrestling: (Accounted for 12 medals in 2022, including 6 Gold)
Badminton: (Accounted for 6 medals in 2022, including 3 Gold)
Table Tennis: (Accounted for 7 medals, including Para TT)
Cricket: (Accounted for 1 Silver)
Hockey: (Accounted for 2 medals – Men’s Silver, Women’s Bronze)

Athletics set to lead India’s medal push

Athletics is expected to be India’s biggest source of medals in Glasgow, with the country fielding its largest group of athletes in the competition.

Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra will headline India’s campaign in the men’s javelin throw, where he enters as one of the country’s biggest medal hopes.

India also has strong contenders in field events. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar will be among the athletes to watch, while the country also has representation in the triple jump and high jump.

In track events, distance runners Parul Chaudhary and Gulveer Singh will look to deliver podium finishes and strengthen India’s medal tally.

Weightlifting remains a reliable medal source

Weightlifting continues to be one of India’s most successful sports at the Commonwealth Games and is again expected to contribute significantly.

Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and defending Commonwealth Games champion Mirabai Chanu leads India’s challenge in the women’s 48kg category.

India also has medal hopefuls across multiple weight classes, including Bindyarani Devi, Ajaya Babu and Gyaneshwari Yadav. The nation has consistently converted strong performances into medals in weightlifting at previous Commonwealth Games.

Boxing offers multiple medal opportunities

Boxing is another discipline where India has realistic hopes of winning several medals.

Also Read | Commonwealth Games 2026: India’s boxing and weightlifting stars in focus

Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and reigning world champion Jaismine Lamboria lead the squad, with both entering the competition among the leading contenders in their respective categories.

India also has depth across both the men’s and women’s competitions, giving the team multiple chances to add to its medal count.

Judo, Lawn Bowls and Para Sports could add to the medal tally

Apart from the major medal prospects in athletics, weightlifting and boxing, India could also collect medals in judo, lawn bowls and para sports.

While the overall programme is much smaller than in previous editions, these events still offer opportunities for India to strengthen its final medal count. With fewer sports on the schedule, India’s campaign will depend heavily on making the most of its strongest disciplines and converting medal chances into podium finishes.

Also Read | Commonwealth Games 2026: Schedule, sports, format and Key details

FAQs

Which sport is India’s biggest medal hope at Commonwealth Games 2026?

Athletics is expected to be India’s strongest medal prospect, led by Neeraj Chopra and several top field and track athletes.

Why are there only 10 sports at Commonwealth Games 2026?

The programme was reduced after Victoria withdrew as host, with Glasgow staging the Games on a smaller budget and a streamlined 10-sport format.