• Rugby Sevens has been removed from the 2026 Commonwealth Games programme in Glasgow.
• The Blitzboks, reigning champions from Birmingham 2022, were unable to defend their title.
• The removal was driven by financial pressure after Victoria’s withdrawal forced Glasgow to host on a strict, self-funded budget.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony marked the start of the Glasgow Games, but one of the event’s most popular attractions is absent.. Rugby Sevens — a fixture at the Games since 1998 and a core sport since 2010 — has been removed from the programme entirely for this edition.
Why Rugby Sevens was cut
The 2026 Commonwealth Games were originally awarded to the Australian state of Victoria, but Victoria pulled out abruptly when projected costs escalated past $4 billion. Facing the collapse of the entire event, Glasgow stepped in as an emergency host at short notice, operating under a strict, self-funded budget with no government subsidy from the Scottish taxpayer.
To keep the Games financially viable, organisers drastically reduced the programme from its usual scale down to just 10 core sports. That decision meant axing expensive team sports with large squad sizes and logistical requirements. Rugby Sevens, hockey and cricket were all removed.
Rugby Sevens at the Commonwealth Games: a brief history
Rugby Sevens made its Commonwealth Games debut at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games as an optional event. It was also optional in 2002 and 2006 before being elevated to core status from the 2010 Delhi Games onwards, becoming a guaranteed part of every programme until now.
New Zealand dominated the men’s competition from the beginning, winning every gold medal until the 2014 Glasgow Games — coincidentally also hosted in Glasgow — when they suffered their first-ever Commonwealth Games defeat in a gold medal match, losing to South Africa. The 2022 Birmingham Games also marked the first time New Zealand failed to reach the gold medal match in either the men’s or women’s competition.
The Blitzboks are the reigning Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens champions, having claimed men’s gold at Birmingham 2022 by defeating Fiji in the final. South Africa, alongside New Zealand, Fiji and Australia, were all denied the opportunity to compete after the sport was removed from the 2026 programme.
Nations affected
Every Rugby Sevens nation that would have competed in Glasgow has missed out. The Blitzboks could not defend their title. New Zealand, Fiji, Australia, England, Kenya and all other Rugby 7s nations had their Commonwealth campaigns ended before a ball was kicked.
Kenya’s Shujaa are among the sides feeling the impact keenly. They had been regular competitors since the sport’s debut in 1998, reaching seventh place at the 2010 Delhi, 2014 Glasgow and 2022 Birmingham Games. This year’s absence is particularly difficult given Shujaa’s relegation to HSBC SVNS Division 2 following a challenging season, which had made the Commonwealth Games a significant target for a strong performance on a global stage.