Are you watching the 2026 Commonwealth Games? If so, you may notice that triathlon ain’t there.

It’s the first time the sport has been left off the program since 2010.

The Glasgow games…and the sports that were cut

The decision wasn’t based on a lack of interest in the sport. Instead, it was the result of the Games being dramatically downsized after the original host, Victoria, Australia, withdrew because of spiralling costs.

Glasgow stepped in to save the event, but with a much smaller budget and a reduced schedule featuring just 10 sports. Triathlon was among the casualties, along with road cycling, hockey, rugby sevens, badminton and squash. There are still track cycling events–but only on the indoor velodrome. Similarly to the road cycling removal, there is also not a marathon in the athletics discipline.

It will be back

Back in 2024, when the news broke, World Triathlon said it was clearly bummed by the decision, obviously. However, the governing body emphasized it does not signal the end of the sport’s Commonwealth Games future.

“World Triathlon is disappointed to learn that Triathlon will not be included in the sport programme for the 2026 Commonwealth Games that will take place in Glasgow,” a statement read. “The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has communicated to World Triathlon that the decision not to include triathlon in the 2026 sports programme does not impact or set a precedent on the sport’s position in future Games and there will be the opportunity for sports to return for future editions.”

The federation also noted that triathlon has consistently proven to be an ideal event for showcasing host cities, pointing to its success at both the Olympic Games and previous Commonwealth Games. Its city-centre courses have also made it a fan-friendly event for spectators.

The history of tri at the Commonwealth Games

Triathlon made its Commonwealth Games debut in Manchester in 2002 and quickly became a fixture on the program. It returned to Melbourne in 2006 but then missed the 2010 Games in Delhi. The reason was simple: organizers could not secure a suitable swimming venue. Since then, the sport has been contested at every edition, including Glasgow in 2014, Gold Coast in 2018 and Birmingham in 2022.

However, if you want to catch some of the swimming, track cycling or track running events, you can catch all the action on the CBC. That’s about as close you’re going to get to watching a tri in Scotland this year.