Badminton cut from 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games as BWF Worlds head to New Delhi

Glasgow 2026 drops badminton from programme

Badminton is among the sports omitted from the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, with organisers having ditched it along with hockey, wrestling and road cycling from the slate. The cuts meant athletes in the affected disciplines were unable to compete at the Games, though some gold medallists from dropped sports still made their way to Glasgow in other capacities as competition opened on the first full day of the event.

Other sports affected by programme reductions

Beyond badminton, organisers in 2026 also removed diving and table tennis from the Commonwealth programme, affecting athletes such as Anabelle Smith and Milly Tapper, who travelled to Glasgow despite their events no longer being on the schedule. The reductions have left many athletes in cut disciplines watching from home rather than competing on the Games' opening days, even as the competition proceeded for athletes in retained sports.

New Delhi to host 2026 BWF World Championships

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Championships are scheduled to take place in New Delhi from August 17-23, 2026, providing a flagship international event for the sport in the calendar year after the Commonwealth programme reductions. The seven-day tournament window will bring together leading players competing for the world title and offers a focal point for the discipline outside the now-reduced Commonwealth calendar.

Five young underdogs to watch in New Delhi

Five young talents have been identified as potential breakout stars at the upcoming World Championships: India's Ayush Shetty and Unnati Hooda, Indonesia's Alwi Farhan, Japan's Tomoka Miyazaki and Bulgaria's Kalyana Nalbantova. Each has been highlighted for the capacity to challenge established names and produce upsets during the tournament, which has historically rewarded emerging players willing to seize the moment against more decorated opponents.