It might be a smaller program in Glasgow, but it will be jam-packed full of action. Here are the events you simply can’t afford to miss at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Pole Vault
Women’s Final: Friday, July 31, 5pm-5am
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Men’s Final: Saturday, August 1, 5pm-5am
Mondo Duplantis has had an iron grip on the men’s pole vault for half a decade, effectively competing against himself and breaking the world record 15 times in a one-man show.
But Kurtis Marschall did something no one else had done in three years and 40 events when he knocked off the Swedish champion to claim a stunning upset in Stockholm, before backing it up in Oslo.
It has the two-time defending Commonwealth champion in the best form of his career and primed to match or surpass his career-best of six metres from earlier this year.
Kurtis Marschall claimed a stunning upset over Mondo Duplantis. Credit: Al Bello/Getty Images
His stiffest challenge could come from Scotland’s Jax Thoir who just missed out on the podium in the 2014 Glasgow Games and will be desperate to perform in front of his home crowd.
In the women’s draw, Australian Nina Kennedy will be headlining the field as she continues her return from a serious hamstring injury that wiped out her 2025 season.
After making a comeback earlier this year, she will be the overwhelming favourite for gold, posting a new career best in July, and it will be a huge step towards building a defence of her Paris gold.
Men’s 800m final
Gold Medal race: Saturday, August 1, 5pm-5am
All eyes will be on one man, Peter Bol, eager to see if he can finally break through and claim a gold medal.
Having claimed silver in Birmingham, Bol has been consistently dipping into the 1.43s across his Diamond League events this season, which would have seen him make the final in Paris and is four seconds faster then is silver medal time in 2022.
Reigning Olympic champion, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyoni, has confirmed he will be skipping the tournament, blowing the field wide open after a dominant run in the discipline.
All eyes will be on Peter Bol. Credit: Tim Clayton – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
However, Kenya will still possess another strong favourite with Wycliffe Kinyamal looking to rebound from a disappointing Paris campaign and chasing a third straight Commonwealth gold, though his times have not set the world alight in the lead-up.
Having burst onto the scene in Tokyo, Bol has had plenty of ups and downs but he is now in career-best shape and this could be his greatest chance to finish on the top step.
100m Freestyle
Women’s Gold Medal race: Monday, July 27, 5:30pm-5am
Men’s Gold Medal race: Tuesday, July 27, 5:30pm-5am
Could Australia lock out the podium in the blue riband event in the pool?
They have the top three contenders, with Mollie O’Callaghan looking leagues ahead of fellow Dolphins Meg Harris and Shayna Jack, who are next in line
O’Callaghan is a chance for a record six gold medals in Glasgow, particularly with Kaylee McKeown pulling out due to illness. She could match the legendary Susie O’Neill’s 1998 performance and she is no stranger to pressure with five Olympic golds already to her name.
O’Callaghan is a chance for a record six gold medals in Glasgow Credit: Aijaz Rahi/AP
On the men’s draw, it could be an Ashes battle in the pool with Kyle Chalmers and Cameron McEvoy up against Tom Dean and James Guy from England.
However, Welshman Matt Richards could spoil the party after taking out the 100m title at the GB championships.
Men’s 100m Breaststroke
Final: Friday, July 24, 5:30pm-5am
This event has essentially been the Adam Ramsay-Peaty invitational in recent years, with the British star having won the past three golds. Though his quest for a hat-trick of Olympic golds was denied by Italian Nicolò Martinenghi in Paris.
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone betting against him taking an incredible fourth straight gold, though 2026 could finally see a changing of the guard.
British breaststroke great Adam Peaty is back to go for gold at the world championships in Doha. Credit: AP
Jersey has not won a Commonwealth medal since 1990, but that could be ended by Filip Nowacki, who is the current world and European junior breaststroke champion.
The 18-year-old has listed Ramsay-Peaty as an idol and will go head to head with him across the 50 and 100m disciplines.
Australia is not without its own chances, with Sam Williamson dominating the Australian trials and looking to upgrade his bronze and silvers from 2022.
Women’s 400m Freestyle
Final: Friday, July 24, 5:30pm-5am
The retirement of Ariane Titmus has left an Olympic swimming pool-sized hole to fill for the next generation of middle-distance swimmers.
Canadian rival Summer McIntosh has opted out of the Games, leaving all eyes on Lani Pallister, who was part of the gold medal-winning 4x200m Olympic team and lit up the time sheets at the Australian Swimming Trials, just missing out on the benchmark Titmus set in Birmingham.
Australia’s Lani Pallister heads for the Commonwealth Games saying the best is yet to come. Credit: Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS
2024 World Champion Erika Fairweather will be her biggest opponent in what looks to be a two-horse race, while 23-year-old Jenna Forester will hope to atone for Olympic heartbreak, having missed the finals in Paris by fractions of a second.
With eyes already turning to LA in 2028, this race could be a good indication of where our next ‘Terminator’ might be coming from.
Women’s 4x100m relay
Final: Friday, July 24, 5:30pm-5am
It’s one of the most dominant Australian teams in world sport, perhaps only behind our cricket teams for sustained success.
Australia have claimed gold in every 4x100m relay this century, last missing the top step in 1994.
The women’s 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. Credit: Grace Hollars/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
They’ve won 18 of the last 20 major global finals and have held the world record for more than a decade, having last lowered the mark at the World Aquatics Championships in 2023.
Shayna Jack, Meg Harris and Mollie O’Callaghan were all part of that swim in Fukuoka and won gold in an Olympic record in Paris.
Canada will be their closest challenger, having finished fourth in Paris, but it could be a case of watching Australia race the record line for our Golden Girls.
One-Mile Run
Final: Saturday, August 1, 5pm-5am
Glasgow is going old school, replacing the 1500m with a one-mile run 60 years after the last time the event featured in what was the last ever British Empire Games.
Australia has a rich history in middle distance events and 20-year-old Cameron Myers will look to add to that having posted the fastest ever 1500m time run by a man under the age of 21, while Olli Hoare will look to defend his title.
Aussie young gun Cameron Myers has claimed a brilliant win in the Bowerman Mile in the US. Credit: Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS
Standing in his way will be Scotsman Josh Kerr, who was the Olympic 1500m silver medallist and 2023 World Champion.
Englishman Roger Bannister and Australian John Landy fought a legendary battle in 1954, and we could see a repeat of sorts with Myers looking to lay down an early Olympic marker and Kerr hoping to take gold on his home soil.
Men’s 100m sprint
Final: Tuesday, July 28, 5pm-4:45am
It’s the blue riband event of any athletics schedule, but for the first time since Gary Eddy in the British Empire Games in 1966, Australia has genuine medal hopes, led by Lachie Kennedy and Eddie Nketia.
Throw in Rohan Browning and there is a real chance there could be three Aussie representatives in the final.
Kennedy has two of the top three fastest Aussie times ever recorded, running 9.96 twice this year, a time which would have cruised to gold in the 2022 final. Nketia ran 9.84 at college level in the USA and there’s even been selection controversy with Josh Azzopardi missing out.
Lachie Kennedy has his sights set on breaking Australia’s 100m record this year. Credit: AAP
There will be plenty of eyes on Favour Ashe with the Nigerian in personal best form, running a 9.93 at trials, while powerhouses Jamaica will see Ackeem Blake and Rohan Watson look to establish themselves as the next generation of sprint stars.
Canadian star and seven-time Olympic medallist Andre De Grasse will also be making his first Commonwealth Games appearance since 2014.
Australia has not won a medal in this event since Michael Cleary’s bronze in the 100-yard dash in 1962, while Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala is hoping to become the first man to defend his title since England’s Linford Christie in 1994.
3×3 basketball
Group Stage: Friday, July 24, 5pm
Gold Medal Match: Wednesday, July 29, 11:30pm
It’s one of the newest events in tournament history, but it has survived the Glasgow cull and will provide one of the more unique atmospheres at the games.
Unsurprisingly, Canada will be favourites across the disciplines, but England are the defending men’s champions after defeating Australia in the final in Birmingham.
Greg Hire #4 and Jesse Wagstaff #3 of Australia celebrate a play against New Zealand. Credit: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images
The three nations shared every medal across all men’s and women’s wheelchair and able-bodied discplines in Birmingham, with Perth Wildcats legend Jesse Wagstaff hoping to lead the Gangurrus to the top step having been part of the losing final in 2022.
The program has been expanded from eight to 12 teams this year with Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tonga set to make their event debut, which will only add to the party-like feel of the event.
Women’s 100m T38
Final: Monday, July 27, 5pm-4:45am
One of the big changes this year will be the ability for disabled and able-bodied athletes to share the same stage with para-sport programs fully integrated with the Commonwealth Games.
Australia will be sending a 24-strong squad including a whopping 16 debutants, but eyes will be on WA’s own Rhiannon Clarke to see if she can complete her set of Commonwealth medals.
Rhiannon Clarke of Australia celebrates after winning the silver medal in 2018. Credit: DEAN LEWINS/AAPIMAGE
Having taken silver in 2018 and bronze in 2022, the 23-year-old is in terrific form, setting an Oceanic record with her fourth-placed finish at the Paris Olympics.
In her way will be Wales’ Olivia Breen, who is the captain of her country and will be looking to complete a rare double after taking gold in Birmingham in 2022 and England’s Sophie Hahn, who took gold in 2018 and silver in 2022.
Team Sprint
Final: Thursday, July 30, 5pm-2am
Often Olympic and Commonwealth Games are about nations coming together, but the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will see a genuine grudge match between Australia and defector Matthew Richardson.
Australia are the defending champions in the team and individual sprint categories, but Richardson has his name on both those golds and will now be representing England.
Former teammates Matthew Richardson (centre) and Leigh Hoffman (r) have been rivals in Perth. Credit: AAP
He’s in ominous form, becoming the first British man to win the European sprint title earlier this year before winning the keirin the following day.
It will be the first time he comes up against the country he turned his back on, and against Leigh Hoffman, who led the Aussies in Birmingham and is back to defend his title once again.
England and Australia are the two favourites, with New Zealand not far behind, but expect plenty of feeling when they meet with more than just medals on the line.
Netball
Group Games: Saturday, July 25, 4pm
Gold Medal Match: Saturday, August 2, 8pm
Australia are easily the most dominant netball nation at the Commonwealth Games. But they’ve got some challengers, with England and New Zealand out to stop them.
They’re the only three nations to win gold since the sport was first introduced as a demonstration in 1990, before being formally adopted in 1998, though the Silver Ferns have not been on the top step in more than a decade.
Up until 2018, Australia and New Zealand were the only two countries to feature in the gold medal match before England stunned the Diamonds on the Gold Coast, and West Coast Fever star Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard led Jamaica on a dream run before falling to Australia in 2022.
Shanice Beckford of Team Jamaica and Courtney Bruce of Team Jamaica compete. Credit: Stephen Pond/Getty Images
With Fowler-Nembhard unavailable, Jamaica may struggle to replicate that run while New Zealand have failed to convert their recent Constellation Cup success into gold at global tournaments.
They will hope rising star Grace Nweke could end that drought while the Diamonds have backed their experience, with seven of the 12 players from Birmingham retaining their spot for Glasgow.
Australia have been drawn with England and dark horses Malawi and South Africa and will open the competition against Tonga while New Zealand and Jamaica headline group B with the Silver Ferns raking on hosts Scotland.
