The Smallest Games Since 1994
The Commonwealth Games are heading to Glasgow this summer, running from 23 July to 2 August 2026 — but this edition will look very different from the ones you remember. Rather than the usual sprawling programme of 15-plus sports, Glasgow 2026 has been trimmed right down to just 10 — the smallest Commonwealth Games programme since 1994.
For fans who've grown used to seeing the full spread of Commonwealth sport on their screens, the absentee list makes for surprising reading. Alongside track and field, swimming, netball, gymnastics and a handful of others, some notable names are missing entirely: cricket, squash, badminton, table tennis, triathlon, wrestling, diving — and, closer to home for a lot of our customers, hockey and rugby sevens.
If you were hoping to watch your favourite grassroots sports on the big Commonwealth stage this year, you're out of luck. But as we'll get to, that's not necessarily bad news for the clubs and players who live and breathe these games week in, week out.
Why Hockey & Rugby Sevens Missed the Cut
The story behind the shrunken programme is really a story about hosting logistics rather than any lack of enthusiasm for the sports themselves. Glasgow only stepped in to host the 2026 Games after the original host, Victoria in Australia, withdrew — leaving organisers with a much shorter runway to plan, build (or find) venues, and budget for a full-scale Games.
With less time and a tighter purse to work with, organisers focused the sports programme around venues that already existed in and around Glasgow, prioritising a leaner, more cost-conscious event over the traditional full house of sports. Hockey and rugby sevens — both of which typically need dedicated pitches or stadium space that wasn't readily available on this timeline — were among the sports that didn't make the final cut, alongside cricket, squash, badminton, table tennis, triathlon, wrestling and diving.
It's a pragmatic decision rather than a reflection on the sports' popularity, and plenty of commentators and fans have been quick to point out how much they'll be missed on the Commonwealth stage this time round.
The Silver Lining: Summer Belongs to the Grassroots
Here's the thing though — hockey and rugby sevens not having a Commonwealth platform this summer doesn't mean the summer has to go quiet for either sport. If anything, it's a genuine opportunity for grassroots clubs to fill the gap and put on their own show.
Think club-run sevens tournaments on a Saturday, a mini hockey festival to kick off pre-season, or a full weekend of round-robin matches for juniors and seniors alike. Without a Commonwealth broadcast schedule competing for attention, August is wide open for clubs to build their own buzz — inviting local rivals, running family-friendly festival days, and using the gap in the calendar as the perfect excuse to get players back on the pitch early.
For hockey clubs, this is also prime time to kick off grassroots hockey pre-season training — getting squads fit, sharp and settled into new formations before league fixtures resume. For rugby clubs, a summer sevens festival is a brilliant way to blow off the cobwebs, try out new players in a fast, fun format, and build momentum heading into the new season.
Get Tournament-Ready: Your Kit Checklist
Whether you're organising a sevens tournament, a hockey festival, or simply getting your squad back into pre-season training, having the right kit sorted in advance makes all the difference. Here's a practical kit checklist that UK clubs can work through before the whistle blows.
For rugby sevens:
- Mouthguards, non-negotiable. Sevens is fast, physical and high-contact, so player safety starts here. The Optimum Matrix Mouthguard is a solid individual option, while the Optimum Multi-X Mouthguard 6-Pack is a smart, cost-effective way to kit out a whole squad in one go — ideal if you're running a club sevens tournament kit list from scratch.
- Protective tops for the collisions. With sevens played at such a high tempo, the Optimum Razor Protective Top offers welcome shoulder and rib protection without slowing players down.
- The basics. Don't overlook the fundamentals of any rugby sevens kit checklist — a reliable pair of Optimum Auckland Rugby Shorts should be on every player's list.
- Practice makes perfect. Sevens lives and dies on conversions and restarts, so an Optimum Rugby Kicking Tee is worth having pitch-side for training and warm-ups alike.
For hockey pre-season:
- Shin guards and gloves. Any grassroots hockey pre-season training block should start with proper protection — the Optimum Fusion Hockey Shin Guards are a great foundation, paired with either the Optimum Fusion Full Finger Hockey Gloves or Optimum Fusion Half Finger Hockey Gloves depending on player preference. Sorting your hockey shin guards and gloves before pre-season starts saves a lot of last-minute scrambling.
- Balls for training and matches. Now's the time to check your stock cupboard and top up with the Optimum Fusion Hockey Ball (Dimple) so drills don't grind to a halt.
Bring the Games Spirit Home
The Commonwealth Games may have gone smaller this year, but there's nothing stopping grassroots clubs from thinking bigger. Hockey and rugby sevens might have missed the cut for Glasgow 2026, but that just means this August belongs to club pitches, park festivals, and the players who show up week after week regardless of what's on the telly.
So get the fixtures in the diary, invite your local rivals, and give your club's own hockey and rugby summer the send-off it deserves. And once the kit list is sorted, an Optimum Team Kit Bag makes it easy to keep everything organised and ready to grab on match day — because nothing kills festival momentum quite like hunting for a missing shin guard five minutes before kick-off.
Here's to a summer where grassroots sport takes centre stage.