Fans demand Commonwealth Games are CANCELLED after 13 sports brutally axed from programme

Hockey, cricket and rugby sevens are among 13 sports that have been brutally cut from the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The decision comes after the Games were moved from Victoria, Australia to Glasgow, Scotland after the original hosts pulled out of staging the multi-sport event.

The Games were originally due to take place in five cities across Victoria but last summer it was announced that the state government had withdrawn its backing to host the event due to financial difficulties and rising costs.

"I will not take money out of hospitals and schools to fund an event that is three times the cost what was estimated and budgeted for last year," state premier Daniel Andrews said at the time.

"Frankly, six to $7 billion for a 12-day sporting event, we are not doing that. That does not represent value for money."

Glasgow has stepped in to host the Games but they have been massively scaled back as a result of the unexpected change and lack of preparation time.

The Commonwealth Games Federation confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that only ten sports would feature at the Games; athletics/para-athletics, swimming/para-swimming, artistic gymnastics, track-cycling/para-track cycling, netball, weightlifting/para-powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls/para-bowls and 3x3 basketball/3x3 wheelchair basketball.

The decision to host a scaled-back Games means several popular sports have been cut.

Field hockey, cricket and rugby sevens have been axed, as have diving, badminton, beach volleyball, road cycling, mountain biking, rhythmic gymnastics, squash, table tennis/para-table tennis, triathlon/para-triathlon and wrestling.

The Commonwealth Games have been moved to Australia (Image: Getty)

Fans have reacted with anger to the news, with one X user commenting: "What a complete waste of money just ditch the whole thing."

"Shame to drop all the 'show off the city' events like tri, marathon and road cycling," another added.

While a third wrote: "They kept Bowls, Basketball & Netball in but ditched way more popular sports!?"

More than 2700 athletes from 74 countries are still expected to compete at the Games, which will be held across four venues from July 23 to August 2 in 2026.