Hockey was officially omitted as one of the profile sports from the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday as part of the revamped, scaled down Glasgow 2026 event.
Hockey has featured in the last seven editions since 1998 but, as revealed by The Hockey Paper on Monday, cost-cutting measures and a trimmed programme after Scotland stepped in to save the Games — as well as proximity to the 2026 World Cup — put paid to a sport which saw sell out crowds at Birmingham 2022 as England women won a first gold.
The 2026 Commonwealths in Glasgow will be staged over 11 days from July 23 to Aug 2.
Hockey was axed with 10 sports now making up the streamlined programme – swimming and athletics leading the way – and down from 19 which were staged at Birmingham 2022.
The sports programme will also feature gymnastics, track cycling, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and 3×3 basketball, alongside some para sports.
Table tennis, badminton and squash, which debuted alongside hockey in 1998, have also been axed as racket sports. Rugby sevens and cricket are also out.
If hockey had stayed in the Games, it would have meant back-to-back global competitions in a packed calendar summer.
The men’s and women’s Hockey World Cup in Belgium and Netherlands is set for Aug 15-30 in 2026, while India would have faced three major touraments in row with the Asian Games also set for mid September that year.
The Hockey Paper reported last month that the Commonwealth Arena and Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre and Scottish Events Campus would be the only four venues used for the 2026 Games. Proposals submitted last week rubber stamped that, with competition “contained within the venue footprint”.

The sport’s omission is a blow to Australia, which has a stranglehold in the men’s event having won every gold medal since 1998, and four from seven in the women’s competition, as well as the likes of Wales and Scotland.
Read More: Hockey omission – good or bad?
In a statement on Tuesday, the CGF offered no rhetoric if the axed sports could return at future Games.
Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) CEO Katie Sadleir said: “The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow – an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact – in doing so increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.”
Commonwealth Games Australia, which has 22 member sports, said three weeks ago that sports missing out would be kept “part of our family” but chief executive Craig Phillips could not guarantee future funding.
The FIH told THP last month that it had retained talks with Commonwealth federation officials since Paris.
“We’d like to reiterate that we’re very proud that hockey has been played at every Commonwealth Games since 1998,” a statement added at the time.
HAVE YOUR SAY BELOW…
HOCKEY needs to get it’s act in order, it’s one of the most played team sports on the planet and very strong in Commonwealth countries. A Commonwealth Games without field Hockey is unthinkable and something needs to be done. Hockey must obtain more television coverage and the players interviewed, like Footballers. We all need to be more prominent and sell our passion better.
Sadly Stuart hockey is in serious decline particularly in outlying areas such as the West Country. Too much reliance on renting pitches from schools means that many clubs will be without pitches because the cash-strapped schools to accept the FA’s money and put down a 3 G pitch. Hockey will be the preserve of private schools within the next 10 years or so contributing to the decline in the hockey population. What can EH do? Show some leadership and real interest in grass-roots hockey?