Triathlon not included in stripped-back list of sports at the 2026 Commonwealth Games

Glasgow has been announced as the new venue for the 2026 Commonwealth Games but triathlon will not feature. With a stripped-back list of sports following the move from Victoria in Australia after costs spiralled, only ten sports have made the cut.

The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has officially confirmed Glasgow as the host city of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The 23rd edition of the Commonwealth Games will take place in Scotland from Thursday 23 July to Sunday 2 August 2026, returning to the city 12 years after the 2014 Commonwealth Games where triathlon was included in the schedule. 

The sports programme for 2026 will include Athletics and Para Athletics (Track & Field), Swimming and Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls and Para Bowls, and 3×3 Basketball and 3×3 Wheelchair Basketball.

The events will be concentrated across four venues and will see no events contested on the roads, which previously included triathlon, the marathon run and road cycling. This will see less free-to-attend events at the Games.

Triathlon has previously seen athletes from Great Britain do well in the Commonwealth Games medal table.

In 2022 Alex Yee took gold in the individual men’s event for England. In the women’s race Bermuda’s Flora Duffy won gold, with Georgia Taylor-Brown taking silver for England and Beth Potter bronze for Scotland.

England also took gold in the mixed relay and in the para events, England’s Dave Ellis and Katie Crowhurst were victorious.

Last time the Games was in Glasgow in 2014, Jodie Stimpson won the women’s event to receive the first gold on the medal table.

List of confirmed sports

Confirmed sports at the 2026 Commonwealth Games are:

• Athletics and para-athletics (track and field only)
• Swimming and para-swimming
• Artistic gymnastics
• Track cycling and para-track cycling
• Netball
• Weightlifting and para-powerlifting
• Boxing
• Judo
• Bowls and para-bowls
• 3×3 basketball and 3×3 wheelchair basketball

A very different Games

First Minister John Swinney said: “While Glasgow 2026 will look quite different to previous Games, we can, and we must, use this as an opportunity to work collaboratively to ensure that this new concept brings a strong and sustainable future for the Games. The Scottish Government is committed to playing its part in building that new vision.”

With the news quite fresh for triathletes, we are yet to see a response from any of the triathlon governing bodies including British Triathlon, or from athletes themselves who will undoubtedly be disappointed not to represent their nations again at such a key event in the calendar.