Glasgow hosts Commonwealth Games 2026; India begin...

By Priya Nair — 23 July 2026 — 4 min read

The 2026 Commonwealth Games officially commenced in Glasgow today, marking the start of what is anticipated to be the smallest edition of the event in over three decades. The opening ceremony at the OVO Hydro will welcome approximately 3,000 athletes representing 74 Commonwealth nations. This year’s Games will feature only 10 sports across four venues, making it a more streamlined competition. Six of these sports will also include para events, highlighting the organisers’ commitment to an inclusive Games.

Glasgow stepped in as host after Australia’s Victoria state withdrew in 2023 due to rising costs, which had put the future of the event in question. Having previously hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games, the Scottish city has once again undertaken the challenge, this time utilising only existing venues and infrastructure while operating on a budget of around 160 million pounds, a figure significantly lower than that of Birmingham 2022.

The opening ceremony is set to feature a variety of Scottish artists, celebrating the country’s rich music and culture. Performers scheduled to take the stage include Tom Walker, KT Tunstall, Callum Beattie, Nina Nesbitt, Valtos, Nathan Evans, and Saint PHNX.

India’s Early Success and Schedule for Friday

India has already made a strong start in its Commonwealth Games campaign, particularly in lawn bowls. On Thursday, Putul Sonowal delivered a notable performance by defeating 2023 world champion Ryan Bester of Canada in the men’s singles event. Making his debut at the Commonwealth Games, Sonowal secured the opening set 5-4. Although Bester, a multiple Commonwealth Games medallist, fought back to win the second set 7-3, forcing a tie-break, the reigning Asian champion from Assam maintained composure in the decider to clinch a memorable victory in his opening Section D match. Sonowal is scheduled to face Cecil Alexander of the Falkland Islands in his second match on Friday.

India also achieved a winning start in the women’s pairs event in lawn bowls, where Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh triumphed over Malta in a tie-break during their initial match. On Friday, the women’s pairs team will compete against South Africa in a Section match at 7:30pm.

The schedule for Indian athletes on Friday, the second day of the Commonwealth Games, includes several key events:

GYMNASTICS: Men’s team final and individual qualification featuring Tapan Mohanty, Swathish KP, Tapeshwarnath Das, and Yogeshwar Singh, starting at 5:00pm.
PARA SWIMMING: Men’s S13 100m Freestyle Heats with R.V.V.B.K. Budigna and Imam Ali at 3:40pm.
SWIMMING: Men’s 50m Backstroke Heats with Srihari Natraj at 3:56pm.
PARA POWERLIFTING: Men’s Lightweight Final with Ashok and Parmjeet Kumar at 5:40pm; Women’s Lightweight Final with Jaspreet Kaur and Suman Devi at 7:24pm; Women’s Heavyweight Final with Kasthuri Rajamani at 10:40pm; and Men’s Heavyweight Final with Sudhir and Jhandu Kumar at 00:29am on July 25.
BOXING: Men’s 55kg Round of 32 featuring Jadumani Singh against Aaron Cullen of Scotland at 11:00pm.

Athletics and Medal Expectations

Athletics is anticipated to be a crucial component of India’s Commonwealth Games campaign. India has sent its maximum permitted 32-member athletics squad, which is the largest contingent among all disciplines for the competition. This team will participate across 22 medal events and is expected to significantly contribute to India’s medal tally.

Leading the charge is two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra. Additionally, India will be looking to high jumper Sarvesh Kushare, long jumper Murali Sreeshankar, triple jumper Praveen Chithravel, and both the men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams for podium finishes. At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Athletics secured eight medals for India. However, matching this total may prove challenging this year due to stronger international competition.

With several traditional medal-rich sports absent from the programme, India’s athletics squad is carrying increased expectations throughout the Games. India aims to continue its impressive record of finishing within the top five of the medals table, a feat achieved at every edition since Manchester 2002. This year’s challenge is expected to be tougher as sports like wrestling, badminton, table tennis, and shooting, which contributed substantially to India’s success in Birmingham four years ago, are not included. These four sports alone accounted for 25 of India’s 61 medals in 2022. Their absence means that strong performances from athletes in the remaining sports, particularly athletics, boxing, and weightlifting, will be vital for India to maintain its position among the leading nations despite fewer medal opportunities.