As sportbusiness.com’s Joseph Perry reports, the move is in line with the CGF’s approach to providing hosts with greater flexibility to propose new sports.
Golf, coastal rowing and BMX racing are set to feature at the Commonwealth Games for the first time after being included in the full sports programme for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games.
The programme includes a total of 26 disciplines across 20 sports. The latest to be added to the programme also include 3×3 basketball and wheelchair basketball; shooting and shooting para sport; and mountain bike cross country, track and para track cycling.
Diving, swimming and para swimming; athletics and para athletics; badminton; boxing; beach volleyball; cricket; road cycling; hockey; gymnastics; lawn bowls and para lawn bowls; netball; rugby sevens; squash; table tennis and para table tennis; triathlon and para triathlon; and weightlifting and para powerlifting were already included.
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Last year, the Commonwealth Games Federation overhauled the mandatory programme in a move to spark more bidding interest from potential hosts. It means aquatics and athletics are now the only compulsory sports.
“The additional sports proposed by Victoria 2026 complete an exciting and diverse line-up,” said CGF President Dame Louise Martin. “The programme is rooted in the CGF’s 2026-30 strategic roadmap, which provides hosts with greater flexibility to propose new sports, especially ones with specific local relevance that will enhance cultural showcasing and increase community engagement.”
Victoria was awarded the 2026 Commonwealth Games back in April. The quadrennial event is due to be hosted across four regional hubs – Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong and Gippsland – and Melbourne in March 2026.