With the dust still settling on Team England’s most successful Commonwealth Games to date at Birmingham 2022, the next Games will be taking place in Victoria, Australia from 17th to 29th March 2026.

An action-packed Sports Programme has been agreed, featuring 20 sports and 26 disciplines, including nine fully integrated Para sports.

New inclusions include Golf, Coastal Rowing, Shooting, Shooting Para Sport, BMX Racing, Mountain Bike Cross Country, Track Cycling and Para Cycling Track, while 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball, which made their debut at Birmingham 2022, remain in the program. Victoria 2026 will see Coastal Rowing, Golf, and BMX also making their Commonwealth Games debuts.

Victoria 2026 is also proposing to add Para disciplines in Golf, Coastal Rowing and the Road Race and will work with the Commonwealth Games Federation and relevant international sporting federations to determine if this is possible.

Francesca Carter-Kelly will be Team England’s Chef de Mission for the Victoria Commonwealth Games in 2026. On being appointed the role, Carter-Kelly commented:

“I am honoured to have been appointed as Chef de Mission for the Victoria 2026 Games cycle having held the role of Deputy at Birmingham 2022, our most successful Games ever. The future is incredibly bright for Team England and I’m excited to be part of it as Chef de Mission and seeing the athletes in action; firstly at the 2023 Youth Games and then for Victoria 2026.”

The Sport Programme includes:

  • Aquatics (Swimming, Para Swimming & Diving)
  • Athletics & Para Athletics
  • Badminton
  • 3x3 Basketball, 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball
  • Boxing
  • Beach Volleyball
  • Coastal Rowing
  • Cricket T20 (Women’s)
  • Cycling (BMX)
  • Cycling (Mountain Bike)
  • Cycling (Road)
  • Cycling (Track & Para Track)
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics (Artistic)
  • Hockey
  • Lawn Bowls & Para Lawn Bowls
  • Netball
  • Rugby Sevens
  • Shooting & Shooting Para Sport
  • Squash
  • Table Tennis & Para Table Tennis
  • Triathlon & Para Triathlon
  • Weightlifting & Para Powerlifting

Commonwealth Games England Chair John Steele OBE said:

"Commonwealth Games England is thrilled to be participating in a Games which includes such a diverse list of sports and a fully integrated Para programme. The addition of 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball at Birmingham 2022 was a huge success, and we are incredibly excited for that to again feature alongside three new additions in Coastal Rowing, Golf and BMX."

Ballarat

The Eureka Stadium will host the Athletics and Para Athletics competitions which, after its planned development, will see an extra 5,000 permanent seats and 18,000 temporary seats in the stadium specifically for the Games.

Bendigo

Bendigo will be the home of six sports on the programme, including Lawn Bowls, Para Lawn Bowls, Table Tennis, Para Table Tennis, Squash and Netball.

On top of these, 3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball will make its return in 2026 after a successful debut at Birmingham 2022, with Track Cycling and Para Track Cycling featuring in the region too.

Geelong

Geelong is Victoria's second largest city and is the gateway to the famous Great Ocean Road.

It is set to host nine sports from the extensive programme, with Golf and Coastal Rowing both making their Commonwealth Games debut.

Alongside these, Geelong will welcome Aquatics and Para Swimming, Triathlon and Para Triathlon, Weightlifting and Para Powerlifting, Beach Volleyball, Cricket T20, Artistic Gymnastics and Hockey’s return for another Games.

Not only will Geelong front the largest number of sports at the Games, but it will also be at the centre of bringing together 40,000 fans, athletes and volunteers together for the Closing Ceremony, in a night that will highlight and celebrate the best moments from the previous 12 days of sport.

Gippsland

Victoria’s largest region, Gippsland, will stage Shooting and Para Shooting’s return to the Games.

The region will also host Badminton, Rugby Sevens, Road Cycling and Cricket T20.

Shepparton

The area will be a cycling fans paradise during the Games as the scenic surroundings of Shepparton make it an ideal location for the Cycling Road Race to take place, with Cycling (BMX) set to make its Commonwealth Games debut in the region too!