The Glasgow 2026 Organising Company has today announced the medal event programme for the 23rd Commonwealth Games, with Para sport, Track Cycling and Swimming set for the most extensive medal event programmes in Commonwealth Games history.
The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place on Thursday 23 July to Sunday 2 August 2026 and will feature a 10-sport programme concentrated across four venues within an eight-mile corridor of the city, with over 200 gold medals up for grabs across the 10 days of sporting competition.
Glasgow 2026 will showcase a fully integrated Para sport programme across six of the ten sports, with a Commonwealth Games record 47 medal events in Para disciplines.
The action-packed sporting programme will take place at the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scottish Exhibition Centre (SEC), Scotstoun Stadium and Tollcross International Swimming Centre, with the 10 sports on the schedule comprising of:
- Artistic Gymnastics
- Athletics and Para Athletics
- 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball
- Boxing
- Swimming and Para Swimming
- Bowls and Para Bowls (indoor)
- Judo
- Netball
- Track and Para Track Cycling
- Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting
The Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome is set to see a very busy and full programme of racing, as Glasgow hosts the biggest Track Cycling programme ever seen at a Commonwealth Games. The Track Cycling programme will see 26 medal events in total across Para and non Para disciplines.
The Para Track Cycling programme has doubled in size from Birmingham 2022, with eight medals available, including the C1-C3 (men) and C4-C5 (women) Time Trials and Individual Pursuits for the first time.
The Tollcross International Swimming Centre will also see a jam-packed schedule as Glasgow 2026 prepares for the most extensive swim programme in Commonwealth Games history, with 56 medal events in total across both Para and non Para competition. In a Games’ first, the men’s 800m Freestyle and women’s 1500m Freestyle races will be included.
In Scotstoun, World Athletics has made an innovative change to the athletics competition with the return of the Commonwealth Mile. Last run in 1966, the Mile race, which will be run on the track, is a nod to the ‘The Miracle Mile’ at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, Canada in 1954, when England’s Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy – the only two sub-four-minute runners in the world at the time – went head to head only two months after Bannister became the first athlete to run a sub-four minute mile.
The Athletics programme has also been adapted to encourage strength and depth of competition across all 74 territories, with the Mixed 4x400m relay included.
It is also the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games that Para Athletics will see athletes competing in jumping, throwing and track events, with all three disciplines being included on the programme for the first time.
Over on the Basketball court, the huge success of the 3×3 programme in Birmingham has seen the 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball competitions for men and women extend from six teams to eight and 3×3 Basketball competitions for men and women extend from eight teams to 12.
Chief Executive of Glasgow 2026, Phil Batty OBE, said“What makes the Commonwealth Games so special to so many is its fully integrated sport programme. I am proud that Glasgow 2026 will see the biggest Para sport medal event programme in Games’ history and will play such an important role in growing, supporting and championing Para sport.
“Glasgow 2026 is a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow and we have a clear vision that it will be brilliantly different. The huge Track Cycling and Swimming programmes, alongside the return of the Mile in Athletics, a wealth of disciplines introduced to the Games for the first time across the Para Athletics, Para Track Cycling and Para Swimming programmes, not to mention the increase in 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball teams, makes the Glasgow 2026 sporting programme a really exciting prospect for fans and athletes alike.
“I’m confident that with action-packed programmes across all four venues in the city, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Glasgow 2026 is set to be a world-class sporting celebration, filled with passion, fun, and outstanding sport!”
Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Katie Sadleir CNZM, said “This compelling medal event programme continues the red thread of innovation that is a key component of Glasgow 2026’s compelling concept – in terms of sports formats and disciplines, the compact number of sports, and concentrated number of existing venues.
“We are thrilled to see such an exciting medal programme for the Commonwealth Games that will be sure to delight and excite fans attending in-person or watching at home across each day of competition.
“With more Para sport medals than ever before in the Games, Glasgow 2026 promises to be a truly inclusive festival of sport and celebration of culture and diversity that inspires our athletes.”
Scottish Paralympic and World champion C3 cyclist, Fin Graham, said “I’m absolutely delighted to see such a strong Cycling programme announced for Glasgow 2026, with greater Para sport integration than ever before.
“On a personal level, to have my category and events included is unbelievable – ever since Glasgow 2014 I’ve wanted to ride at the Commonwealth Games, and hopefully next year I’ll get that chance. To do it in front of a Scottish crowd, on the velodrome where I learnt to ride the track, will be even more special.”
Glaswegian Olympic swimmer, Katie Shanahan, who won two bronze medals at Birmingham 2022, said “The announcement of the medal events is another great milestone in Glasgow delivering the Games next year. And for me it really is a home Games. I learned to swim in Glasgow and spent many years with clubs in and around Glasgow, so competing for Scotland in a pool I know so well, will be so exciting, and I really can’t wait for it.”
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said “The mile is the quintessential Commonwealth athletics event whose return to the Games in Glasgow 2026 I very much welcome.
“From 1930 through to 1966, the mile was the blue riband event of each Games and the magic of the mile continues to resonate with sports fans. A ticket to watch its Commonwealth final will be one of the must have seats in Glasgow next year.”
The full medal event programme is available via www.glasgow2026.com
Please note that the Boxing medal event programme is due to be confirmed later this year.
To find out more about Glasgow 2026 visit www.glasgow2026.com
Shuaeeb Is a seasoned sportswriter, social worker, and philanthropist. He has been renowned for his support of disabled sports persons and championing for equal rights and opportunities for all sports persons. He is also a father of 4 children and married to His partner Moana who is of Australian descent. He currently does sports volunteering and disability support work aside from writing for this August media.
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