Tomorrow, July 23, 2026, the XXIII Commonwealth Games will open in Glasgow, Scotland — one of the largest international sporting events of the year. The competitions will run until August 2 and will bring together about 3000 athletes from 74 countries and territories of the Commonwealth. Over ten eventful days, participants will compete for 215 sets of gold medals.
Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and now it is once again becoming the center of major sports. This time, the organizers have chosen a more compact model: the competitions will take place on four main sports venues in the city. Among them are the Scotstoun Stadium, the Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus complex.
Bowls to open the sports program
The first competitions will start even before the evening opening ceremony. On July 23, starting at 09:30 local time, tournaments in bowls and para-bowls will begin at the SEC Hall 3 venue. The organizers included this additional day in the schedule due to an unusually large number of team applications.
Bowls is sometimes compared to playing with balls, but its rules are significantly more complex. Athletes try to place special asymmetrical balls as close as possible to a small target ball – the jack. Due to the offset center of gravity, the sports equipment moves not in a straight line, but in a curved trajectory, so participants require accuracy, calculation, and tactical thinking.
Four sets of medals will be awarded in regular bowls in Glasgow: men's and women's singles tournaments, as well as men's and women's pairs competitions. Three more sets of medals are provided for para-bowls.
Ten sports
The official program of the Games includes ten sports:
- athletics and para-athletics;
- swimming and para-swimming;
- cycling and para-track cycling;
- artistic gymnastics;
- boxing;
- judo;
- weightlifting and para-powerlifting;
- 3x3 basketball and wheelchair 3x3 basketball;
- netball;
- bowls and para-bowls.
Thus, the Paralympic disciplines are not separated into a distinct tournament but are fully integrated into the overall program of the Games. In total, six para-sports are represented in Glasgow — this is the largest para-sports program in the history of the Commonwealth Games.
First medal day
Although bowls will start on July 23, the first medals will be awarded the next day. On July 24, competition for awards will unfold in para-powerlifting, artistic gymnastics, swimming, and para-swimming. For the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games, a para-sports discipline will open the medal standings of the competition.
The program in the pool and on the velodrome is expected to be particularly busy. The organizers announced that the swimming, para-swimming, track cycling, and para-track cycling tournaments will be the largest in the history of the Commonwealth Games. The program for 3x3 basketball has also been expanded, as its popularity continues to grow after its inclusion in the Olympic movement.
Main sports venues
Athletics and para-athletics will take place at Scotstoun Stadium, where new modern surfacing has been laid specifically for the Games. Swimmers will compete at the Tollcross International Centre, while gymnasts and cyclists will compete at the Sir Chris Hoy Arena and Velodrome.
The SEC complex will host several disciplines: boxing, judo, bowls, 3x3 basketball, weightlifting, and para-powerlifting. Netball matches will be held at The Hydro arena, which will also host the opening and closing ceremonies.
Grand Opening
On the evening of July 23, the opening ceremony will take place at The Hydro arena. One of the participants in the musical program will be Scottish singer Tom Walker. During the ceremony, 74 batons, which traveled across the countries and territories of the Commonwealth as part of the Queen's Baton Relay, are expected to be united.
The official mascot of the Games is the unicorn Finni. This character refers simultaneously to the national symbol of Scotland and the famous Finnieston Crane located on the banks of the River Clyde.
A celebration of sport and equal opportunities
The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow promise to be not only a competition for medals but also a grand celebration of unity. Olympic champions, young talents, and outstanding para-athletes will perform on the same stages.
The organizers are paying special attention to the equal status of all participants. Para-sports competitions are included in the general schedule, take place in the same arenas, and are a full-fledged part of the medal program.
The first sporting chord will sound on July 23 at the bowls tournament. Then, Glasgow will experience ten days of intense competition, records, unexpected victories, and vivid stories of athletes from around the world.
