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The Commonwealth Games return to Glasgow this year, with more than 3,000 athletes from across the Commonwealth competing over 11 days in what will be a scaled-back but still star-studded event.
Olympic champions, world record holders and emerging stars will all be aiming to add another major title to their collection, while a new generation looks to make its mark on one of sport's biggest multi-sport events.
Here's everything you need to know before the action gets under way, including the full day-by-day schedule, the athletes to watch and everything else you need to follow the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
- Commonwealth Games: How to watch in UK and why it isn't on the BBC
Commonwealth Games 2026: Day-by-day schedule
All times in BST
Thursday, July 23
The Games get under way in the morning with preliminary round action in the bowls and para-bowls competitions, before the opening ceremony at the Hydro -- the first time the Games have been officially opened indoors.
Highlights
Bowls and para bowls: 9.30 a.m.
Opening ceremony: 8 p.m.
Friday, July 24
Adam Peaty-Ramsey was 19 years old when he won his first gold medal at a Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and he begins his quest for another in the men's 100m breaststroke heats. Look out also for England v Australia in the wheelchair 3X3 basketball.
Highlights
Swimming: Heats, from 10.30 a.m, relay finals, from 7 p.m.
Gymnastics: Men's team final, from 5.30 p.m
Saturday, July 25
Hosts Scotland start their netball campaign with a daunting opener against former champions New Zealand. Peaty-Ramsey is likely to go for more Commonwealth Games glory in the men's 100m breaststroke final in the evening.
Highlights
Netball: New Zealand vs. Scotland, from 9 a.m., England vs. Northern Ireland, from 2 p.m.
Gymnastics: Women's team final, 3.45 p.m
Swimming: 6x medal events inc. men's 100m breaststroke, from 7 p.m.
Sunday, July 26
A big early showdown on the netball court where England and Australia clash in the group stages. The men's and women's all-around gymnastics champions will be crowned, and there are also medals to be won in the weightlifting.
Highlights
Netball: Wales vs. Scotland, Australia vs. England, from 9 a.m.
Gymnastics: Men's individual all-around final, from 12.pm, women's individual all-around final, from 6 p.m.
Swimming: 6x medal events from 7 p.m.
Monday, July 27
The first evening of athletics at Scotstoun Stadium includes the women's 10000m final and the men's high jump. Another packed swimming session at the Hydro includes the prospect of another Peaty-Ramsey appearance in the men's 50m breaststroke final.
Highlights
Athletics: 4x medal events inc. women's 10,000m final, from 6.30 p.m.
Swimming: 6x medal events inc. men's 50m breaststroke final, from 7 p.m
Tuesday, July 28
Scotland swimming favourite Duncan Scott could be heading for the podium at the Hydro if he goes in the men's 100m freestyle final. Individual gymnastics finals include the men's vault and the women's beam, while the men's and women's 100m finals take place in the athletics.
Highlights
Gymnastics: 5x medal events inc. men's vault final
Athletics: 6x medal events inc. men's and women's 100m finals, from 6.30 p.m.
Swimming: 7x medal events inc. men's 100m freestyle final, from 7 p.m.
Wednesday, July 29
It is medals day on the 3×3 basketball court with all four categories playing semifinals before returning later for the medal rounds. Katarina Johnson-Thompson hopes to complete a trio of Commonwealth Games gold medals in the women's heptathlon.
Highlights
3x3 basketball: Semifinals from 11.30 a.m., medal matches from 4.30 p.m.
Swimming: 7x medal events, from 6.30 p.m.
Athletics: 6x medal events inc. last women's heptathlon event, from 7 p.m.
Thursday, July 30
Two-time Olympic medallist Emily Campbell will step out to defend her women's 86+kg weightlifting title. The first day of finals in the Velodrome sees a packed programme culminating in the men's and women's team sprints.
Highlights
Weightlifting: Women's 86+kg final, 2 p.m.
Track cycling: 8x medal events including men's and women's sprints, from 4 p.m.
Athletics: 6x medal events inc. women's 5,000m final, from 7 p.m.
Friday, July 31
Friday sees the first round of medal contests in judo, Velodrome finals including the men's keirin and women's sprint, and another big night on the Scotstoun track with the men's and women's 200m finals.
Highlights
Judo: 5x medal events, from 11 a.m.
Track cycling: 6x medal events, from 4 p.m.
Athletics: 10x medal events inc. men's and women's 200m finals, from 6.30 p.m
Saturday, August 1
The revival of the famous mile is upon us with new world record holder Josh Kerr joining fellow Scot Jake Wightman in what is undoubtedly the blue riband event of the Games. Kenya's Faith Kipyegon is a clear favourite in the women's event. Boxing finals culminate in the men's super-heavyweight gold medal match.
Highlights
Track cycling: 8x medal events, from 3 p.m.
Athletics: 10x medal events inc. men's and women's mile finals, from 6.30 p.m.
Sunday, August 2
The sporting action concludes with finals in the Velodrome -- including the women's keirin, on the judo mat, the bowling green and the netball court, where England will hope to be involved in the gold medal match.
Highlights
Netball: Gold medal match, 1 p.m.
Track cycling: 3x medal events, from 3 p.m.
Top athletes to watch
Adam Ramsay-Peaty
Amid a swirl of not-always-welcome celebrity, Ramsay-Peaty returns to where it all began, 12 years after clinching 100 metres breaststroke gold at the 2014 Glasgow Games and launching himself on a trajectory towards global domination. Now 31, he will be eager to atone for the shock loss of his long unbeaten record in the 100m in 2022.
Alex 'Tattie' Marshall
The 59-year-old bowler is Scotland's most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete with five golds, one silver and one bronze. Marshall won his first medal in Manchester in 2002 and his most recent in Birmingham four years ago. Marshall will be joined in Glasgow by his 23-year-old niece, Beth Riva.
Josh Kerr
The 28-year-old Scot was already sure to be one of the star attractions of his home Games. But having shattered the world mile record at London's Diamond League meeting last weekend, Kerr, a two-time Olympic medallist and former world champion, will ramp up the hype when he re-runs the same event against his compatriot Jake Wightman.
Liv Tchine
Tchine is the latest England netball sharp-shooter handed the daunting task of wrestling the Commonwealth Games title back from old foes Australia. Tchine made her England debut in 2022 and her form for London Pulse in the latest Super League campaign gives hope of emulating that famous 2018 Gold Coast triumph.
Rhys McClenaghan
The Northern Ireland gymnast finally stepped out of Max Whitlock's shadow when he won his first world title in Liverpool in 2022 and he has not looked back. McClenaghan, 26, retained his title then clinched Olympic gold in Paris in 2026. With Whitlock forced out of the event through injury, McClenaghan is a huge favourite to add to his medal haul.
Shericka Jackson
The Jamaican sprint queen is one of the most high-profile overseas athletes competing at the Games. Jackson won the Olympic women's 100m title in Tokyo in 2020 and also has four world gold medals to her name. She will go head to head in the sprints with home-grown stars including Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita.
Emily Campbell
Campbell was one of the undoubted stars of Birmingham 2022, where she secured women's weightlifting gold in front of her roaring home fans. The 32-year-old sandwiched that achievement with medals at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympics and will be the woman to beat in once again in the super-heavyweight category.
Where can I watch the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
The Games have historically been broadcast on the BBC, with the corporation covering 18 consecutive events since 1954.
However, the 2026 edition will be televised across TNT Sports as the BBC said it was "unable to match" the bid. This means you will need a subscription to watch that the bulk of action.
TNT have said they will show every event on their streaming service, HBO Max. However, it has also been announced that the free-to-air channel 5 will show "extensive highlights."
How is the Commonwealth Games different to the Olympics?
While many of the events are the same, such as the traditional athletics and swimming events, boxing, track cycling and weightlifting, the Commonwealth Games is a much smaller event both in terms of athletes and sports involved and general scale.
Competition is only open to who are states in the Commonwealth of Nations and their territories.
For example, while Great Britain competes at the Olympics, athletes from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will compete under their own flags at the Games.
The other notable difference is who won't be there.
Traditional Olympic powerhouses the United States and China do not participate.
Other absentees include Japan, France and the Netherlands, who all finished above Great Britain on the Paris 2024 gold medal table.
Why is Glasgow hosting the Commonwealth Games?
As mentioned, it hasn't been the smoothest road for the 2026 event since the state of Victoria in Australia was confirmed to host the Games in August 2022.
However, in July 2023, Daniel Andrews, Premier of the state at the time, confirmed they would no longer host the event, saying the cost of doing so had gone up to $7 billion AUD (£4b) up from $2.3b.(£1.2b)
In October 2024, it was announced that Glasgow had made a successful bid to be the host city, but it will be a scaled-back edition. The previous event in Birmingham in 2022 had 31 events including para events while Glasgow will have 16, including the para sports.
Hockey, diving, rugby sevens and cricket are among the sports that have been axed this year.
Information from PA was used in this report.
