GLASGOW, Scotland — Rugby sevens, which was originally developed in Scotland during the 1880s, has been excluded from the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games, set to take place in Glasgow.

In addition to rugby sevens, several other sports have also been cut from this year’s competition slate, including field hockey, triathlon, badminton, Twenty20 cricket, squash, and diving.

The Commonwealth Games will feature a streamlined program consisting of ten sports at four venues. Among the confirmed events are athletics and swimming, which are mandatory, along with track cycling, gymnastics, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls, and 3×3 basketball.

Notably, there will be integrated para events included for six of these sports: athletics, swimming, track cycling, weightlifting, bowls, and basketball.

The exciting event is scheduled from July 23 to August 2, following Glasgow’s acceptance to host after the Australian state of Victoria stepped back due to escalating costs last year.

Deciding which sports to include was a challenging process, as highlighted by Commonwealth Games Scotland chairman Ian Reid in a statement to the BBC on Tuesday.

“Everyone understands the need for these events to be more cost-effective and manageable. We would have preferred to have all sports and all athletes present, but given the current timeline, it simply wasn’t feasible,” Reid remarked.

Approximately 3,000 athletes are expected to participate, representing up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories—amounting to a population total of about 2.5 billion people, or nearly one-third of the global population.

Over half a million tickets will be made available for fans to witness the events live.

Katie Sadleir, chief executive of the Commonwealth Games Federation, emphasized that the 2026 Games aim to serve as a transitional phase, helping to pave the way for future Commonwealth Games. She stated, “This event will initiate our journey towards reimagining the Games to create a more collaborative, flexible, and sustainable model that focuses on minimizing costs, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing social value. Ultimately, this approach will broaden the range of countries capable of hosting the Games.”

Glasgow previously held the Commonwealth Games in 2014, with the event costing over 540 million pounds.