CWG 2026: Origins, Purpose & India's 122 Contenders
What Are the Commonwealth Games? How They Started, Why They Exist and How Many Indians Qualified in 2026
The Commonwealth Games are one of the world’s best-known international multi-sport competitions. Athletes and Para athletes representing nations and territories across the Commonwealth compete in sports such as athletics, swimming, boxing, weightlifting, cycling, gymnastics, lawn bowls, judo and basketball.
The Games have a complicated but fascinating history. They originated during the era of the British Empire, gradually evolved through decolonisation and are now promoted as a sporting platform based on friendship, equality, humanity, inclusion and cultural connection.
The most recent edition, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, was held in Scotland from 23 July to 2 August 2026. It brought together athletes from 74 nations and territories through a streamlined programme of 10 sports, including six fully integrated Para sports.
Commonwealth Games 2026: Quick Facts
Host city: Glasgow, Scotland
Dates: 23 July to 2 August 2026
Edition: 23rd Commonwealth Games
Participating teams: 74 nations and territories
Sports: 10 sports, including six integrated Para sports
Gold-medal events: 215
India’s final medal position: Fourth
India’s medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze, totalling 39 medals
What Are the Commonwealth Games?
The Commonwealth Games are an international competition in which athletes represent Commonwealth nations and territories. The event is usually organised once every four years.
The political Commonwealth and the Commonwealth sports movement should not be confused.
The Commonwealth itself is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries. However, the Commonwealth sports movement includes 74 nations and territories, allowing several territories and constituent nations to compete under their own flags.
The competition is sometimes called the Friendly Games because it places considerable emphasis on sporting friendship, cooperation and cultural exchange alongside elite competition. The nickname became particularly associated with the warm public reception given to athletes during the 1970 Games in Edinburgh.
How Did the Commonwealth Games Begin?
The Commonwealth Games did not begin immediately as a fully established international event. The idea developed over several decades.
The original proposal in 1891
In 1891, Reverend John Astley Cooper proposed a recurring sporting festival that would bring together different parts of the British Empire. He suggested a “Pan-Britannic” competition that could be organised every four years to increase goodwill and understanding within the Empire.
Although the proposal reflected the colonial political structure of its time, the underlying idea was to use sport as a means of bringing people from different regions together.
The Inter-Empire Championships of 1911
An important precursor was organised in London in 1911 as part of the Festival of Empire, which celebrated the coronation of King George V.
Athletes representing Australasia, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom participated in athletics, swimming, boxing and wrestling. Canada emerged as the most successful team. Although it was not officially recognised as the first Commonwealth Games, it demonstrated that an international sporting competition involving Empire teams could be organised successfully.
Bobby Robinson and the 1928 breakthrough
The modern Commonwealth Games owe much of their creation to Canadian journalist and sports administrator Melville Marks “Bobby” Robinson.
While attending the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam as Canada’s team manager and a newspaper reporter, Robinson discussed the idea with representatives from several Commonwealth countries. A Canadian proposal for a separate Empire Games was subsequently accepted.
The organisers wanted a competition based on the Olympic model but with a less severe atmosphere and less emphasis on aggressive international rivalry. The intention was to create a friendlier sporting gathering centred on shared experiences and sportsmanship.
The First Commonwealth Games in 1930
The first official event was held in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, from 16 to 23 August 1930. It was originally called the British Empire Games.
The inaugural competition included:
400 athletes
11 participating countries
59 events
Six sports
Athletics
Boxing
Lawn bowls
Rowing
Swimming and diving
Wrestling
Women were permitted to compete only in swimming and diving events. The Games were organised during a challenging period shortly after the 1929 financial crash, but the event was widely considered a success.
How the Name Changed Over Time
The changing name of the event reflects the political transformation of the British Empire and the emergence of independent Commonwealth countries.
Period | Official name |
1930 to 1950 | British Empire Games |
1954 to 1966 | British Empire and Commonwealth Games |
1970 to 1974 | British Commonwealth Games |
From 1978 | Commonwealth Games |
The current name was first used at the 1978 Games in Edmonton, Canada. The Games have normally been organised once every four years, except for the cancelled 1942 and 1946 editions during and immediately after the Second World War.
Why Were the Commonwealth Games Started?
The original purpose was to strengthen goodwill, understanding and sporting relationships among territories within the British Empire.
However, the modern significance of the Games has expanded considerably.
1. International sporting competition
The Games give elite athletes an opportunity to represent their nations and territories in a major multi-sport competition. For many competitors, they serve as an important stage between continental championships, world championships and the Olympic or Paralympic Games.
2. Opportunities for smaller nations and territories
The Commonwealth Games provide global visibility to countries and territories that may send relatively small teams to other international competitions. Athletes compete under their own flags, allowing their national or territorial sporting identities to receive international recognition.
3. Integration of Para sport
One of the defining characteristics of the modern Commonwealth Games is the integration of Para athletes into the main sporting programme.
Full medal events for elite athletes with disabilities were included in an integrated programme at Manchester 2002. Commonwealth Sport states that Para sport has remained an important part of the competition, with Para and non-Para medals contributing equally to national medal totals.
4. Gender equality
The Commonwealth Games became the first global multi-sport competition to guarantee an equal number of medal opportunities for men and women. The Gold Coast 2018 Games achieved equal medal-event representation, while Birmingham 2022 became the first edition to offer more medal events for women than men.
5. Cultural exchange and shared identity
Opening ceremonies, athletes’ villages, volunteer programmes and cultural activities allow participants from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, the Americas and the Pacific to interact.
The modern Commonwealth Sport strategy describes the Games as events intended to showcase world-class athletes, involve communities and create social benefits for host cities and participating regions.
How Do Athletes Qualify for the Commonwealth Games?
There is no single Commonwealth Games examination, race or qualification tournament through which every athlete qualifies.
Selection is conducted separately for each sport. Depending on the discipline, athletes may be selected through:
International rankings
Commonwealth qualification standards
National championships
Federation selection trials
Continental or world championships
Team qualification tournaments
Host or Commonwealth allocation quotas
National federation nominations
Fitness and performance assessments
Para-sport classification requirements
Meeting a qualification standard does not always guarantee selection. National sports federations and the country’s Commonwealth Games Association may consider available quotas, recent performances, fitness, event limits and medal potential before confirming the final team.
Para athletes may also be required to hold a valid international sport classification. Classification determines how an athlete’s impairment affects performance and places the athlete in an appropriate competitive category.
How Many Indians Qualified for the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
There were two relevant figures during the selection process.
Initially approved: 12 Indian athletes
India’s Sports Ministry initially approved a team of 122 athletes, consisting of 78 male and 48 female competitors, as part of a larger delegation that also included coaches, medical staff, support personnel and team officials.
Final reported representation: 124 Indian athletes
A later Press Information Bureau backgrounder published during the Games reported that India was represented by 124 athletes, comprising 78 men and 46 women. This indicates that the final participating group was smaller than the initially approved athlete list, most likely because of late withdrawals, eligibility decisions, entry changes or administrative adjustments.
Therefore, the most accurate way to present the figures is:
India initially had 122 athletes approved for Glasgow 2026. The final government-reported Indian representation was 124 athletes, including 78 men and 46 women.
This distinction is important because the words qualified, approved, selected, entered and finally participated may refer to different stages of the team-confirmation process.
India’s History at the Commonwealth Games
India first participated in the Commonwealth Games in 1934, when the event was held in London and was still known as the British Empire Games.
Wrestler Rashid Anwar became India’s first Commonwealth Games medallist by winning bronze in the men’s freestyle wrestling competition.
India has since developed into one of the competition’s leading sporting nations, particularly in:
Wrestling
Weightlifting
Boxing
Badminton
Shooting
Table tennis
Athletics
Hockey
The country previously hosted the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in 2010. India has also been formally confirmed as the host of the 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games in Amdavad, also known as Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The 2030 edition will mark 100 years since the first official Games in Hamilton.
How Did India Perform at Glasgow 2026?
India completed Glasgow 2026 in fourth position with:
13 gold medals
17 silver medals
9 bronze medals
39 medals in total
Indian athletes delivered particularly strong performances in boxing, weightlifting, judo, athletics and Para athletics. India’s boxing team won seven gold medals, while the country also recorded historic Commonwealth Games achievements in judo and Para sport.
The reduced Glasgow programme did not include several sports in which India has traditionally performed strongly, including badminton, hockey, shooting, wrestling and table tennis. This made the fourth-place finish significant because India had fewer traditional medal opportunities than in recent editions.
Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games: Are They the Same?
No. The Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games are separate competitions.
The Olympic Games include countries recognised through their National Olympic Committees from across the world. The Commonwealth Games are limited to teams belonging to the Commonwealth sports movement.
Another difference is that some constituent nations and territories compete separately at the Commonwealth Games. The Commonwealth Games also place integrated Para events within the same principal competition and medal table.
Both competitions feature elite international athletes, but they have different governing organisations, membership structures, qualification systems and sporting programmes.
Why Do the Commonwealth Games Still Matter?
The Games continue to provide a valuable platform for developing athletes, smaller sporting nations, Para athletes and disciplines that may receive limited attention outside major multi-sport events.
They also face genuine challenges. Hosting international sporting events can be expensive, and the Games have had to reconsider their scale, venue requirements and long-term financial model.
Glasgow 2026 adopted a smaller format, using existing venues and a reduced 10-sport programme. Organisers presented this as a more flexible and sustainable model for future host cities. The next edition in Amdavad is expected to expand to between 15 and 17 sports.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Commonwealth Games in simple words?
It is an international sporting competition in which athletes and Para athletes from Commonwealth nations and territories represent their teams across multiple sports.
When were the first Commonwealth Games held?
The first official Games were held in Hamilton, Canada, in August 1930. They were called the British Empire Games.
Why were the Commonwealth Games created?
They were originally created to encourage goodwill, sporting cooperation and understanding among territories of the British Empire. Their modern role focuses more broadly on international competition, friendship, inclusion, equality and cultural connection.
How often are the Commonwealth Games organised?
They are normally held once every four years. The 1942 and 1946 editions were cancelled because of the Second World War and its aftermath.
How many Indian athletes qualified for Commonwealth Games 2026?
The Sports Ministry initially approved 122 athletes. A later government backgrounder reported that India was represented by a final group of 124 athletes, comprising 78 men and 46 women.
How many medals did India win at Glasgow 2026?
India won 39 medals: 13 gold, 17 silver and 9 bronze, finishing fourth in the medal standings.
Where will the next Commonwealth Games be held?
The 2030 Centenary Commonwealth Games will be held in Amdavad, also known as Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India.
Conclusion
The Commonwealth Games began as a sporting competition connected to the British Empire, but they have gradually evolved into a more diverse and inclusive international event.
From 400 athletes representing 11 countries in Hamilton in 1930 to athletes and Para athletes representing 74 nations and territories at Glasgow 2026, the Games have undergone major political, cultural and sporting changes.
For India, the competition remains an important international platform. Although 122 Indian athletes were initially approved for Glasgow 2026, the final government-reported representation was 124 athletes. The team completed the Games in fourth place with 39 medals and will now look towards hosting the historic Centenary Commonwealth Games in Gujarat in 2030.
Disclaimer
This article is provided solely for general educational and informational purposes. Athlete qualifications, team selections, eligibility requirements, competition rules, schedules, results and official statistics may be revised by the relevant sporting authorities.
Readers should verify time-sensitive information through Commonwealth Sport, the Indian Olympic Association, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the relevant national or international sports federation.
Neither Parikshit Khanna, Digital Training Jet Pvt. Ltd., nor any director, employee, trainer, representative, affiliate, associated professional or other person or entity connected with the company shall be responsible or liable for any loss, misunderstanding, decision, action or consequence arising from reliance on the information contained in this article.
Comments