Australia to miss key medal hopes with hockey excluded in reduced 2026 Commonwealth Games format
Published Wed 23 Oct 2024
Australia will be without two key medal hopes at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, after the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) today announced a heavily reduced 10-sport format which will exclude hockey, among many others.
The announcement revealed a revised format from CGF and Commonwealth Games Scotland (CGS), which recovered the Games with less than two years until the Opening Ceremony after the Victorian Government withdrew late as hosts in August last year.
In the month since the Scotland Government announced its commitment to the event in September, Hockey Australia joined England Hockey, Scottish Hockey, Hockey Wales, Hockey India and Hockey New Zealand with a co-signed letter to the International Hockey Federation (FIH) encouraging them to lobby CGF for hockey’s inclusion.
Despite their efforts and following good collaboration between the two sporting bodies, hockey will be one of 11 sports that will not feature.
This will be a first for the sport in 26 years, with CGF opting for sports that require indoor venues.
“It is a disappointing announcement, not just for hockey but for all of the sports who have missed out in the reduced format,” Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles said.
“There was always a lot of pressure on the Commonwealth Games Federation with less than two years to go until the Games in Glasgow and I know I join all our Commonwealth compatriots in saying we hope this is a temporary adjustment to the Games schedule.
“We have a strong relationship with Commonwealth Games Australia, and we look forward to working with them and know they will do a fantastic job in advocating for a full-strength Games in future, which includes hockey.
“In the short term, I will certainly miss seeing the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos on the podium. The images of our teams in green and gold singing the national anthem with their medals at every single Games since hockey’s inception in 1998 remains a proud part of Australian sporting history and our history at Hockey Australia.”
The Australian national hockey teams, the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos, have a rich Commonwealth Games legacy combining for 11 gold medals in seven appearances since 1998.
The men’s national hockey team the Kookaburras remain unbeaten at the Commonwealth Games, having won every edition hockey’s featured in. While the Hockeyroos have medalled at every event.
Hockey’s coveted 2026 World Cup in Belgium and the Netherlands in August remains the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras key focus.
The Kookaburras became the first non-host nation to qualify for the World Cup after winning the 2023/24 FIH Pro League this year, while the Hockeyroos will compete to qualify for the World Cup at next year’s FIH Pro League and the Oceania Cup in September.
Hockeyroos at the Commonwealth Games
Gold – 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014
Silver – 2018, 2022
Bronze - 2002
Kookaburras at the Commonwealth Games
Gold – 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022
