On Wednesday 5th October the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) confirmed the additional sports to be added to the programme of Victora 2026 on the back of completing the Phase 2 process. STS welcomes the news that shooting has been added to the programme and is looking forward to sending a Scottish shooting team to compete for medals and the sport getting improved coverage.
This comes following an extensive expression of interest process, attracting 39 Expressions of Interests from different Federations, that was delivered by Victoria 2026 and culminating in a proposal to the CGF to include the following additional four sports and three disciplines:
3x3 Basketball and 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball
Coastal Rowing – Beach Sprints
Cycling – BMX Racing
Cycling – Mountain Bike Cross Country
Cycling – Track Cycling and Para Cycling Track
Golf
Shooting – Air Pistol, Air Rifle, Shooting Para Sport, Shotgun Trap
This is a tremendous outcome for shooting, a sport that has been a mainstay of the Games but was omitted for Birmingham 2022 to the disappointment of many. The sports omission resulted in India looking to hold a Commonwealth Shooting and Archery Championships in early 2022 but the COVID pandemic meant this could not go ahead. A return to the programme for 2026 is a tremendous fillip for the sport.
STS would like to congratulate our colleagues at Shooting Australia (and all others involved) for all their efforts in preparing shooting’s Expression of Interest resulting in this outcome.
While there will be disappointment from some at the omission of key events, including Full Bore events, Olympic Skeet, 25m Pistol events and 50m Rifle events, we understand that the inclusion of shooting supersedes this. We also welcome the inclusion of Para events, something that STS has been pushing for since its inception and has integrated into its performance programme since taking it back in-house in 2018.
A full list of sports now on the programme for Victoria 2026 is:
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
Below is the press statement issued by the Commonwealth Games Federation:
An action-packed program of sports has been unveiled as the Commonwealth’s best athletes prepare to compete across regional Victoria in just over three years.
The Commonwealth Games Federation, the Andrews Labor Government and Commonwealth Games Australia is today unveiling the full Sport Program for the Victoria 2026 Commonwealth Games, featuring 20 sports and 26 disciplines, including nine fully integrated Para sports.
Golf, 3x3 Basketball, 3x3 Wheelchair Basketball, Coastal Rowing, Shooting, Shooting Para Sport, BMX Racing, Mountain Bike Cross Country, Track Cycling and Para Cycling Track have been added to the already impressive sports line-up, while Coastal Rowing, Golf, and BMX will make a Commonwealth Games debut.
Victoria 2026 is also proposing to add in 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.
Shepparton will host a suite of cycling events – staging both men’s and women’s time trials for the road race, as well as the BMX Racing competition, with the full program of event locations to be announced in the coming weeks.
More than 100 athletes will be competing alongside hundreds of support staff, coaches and event organisers across the action-packed BMX racing competition.
Shepparton will also welcome a major festival alongside the sport program, an exciting array of events, experiences and exhibitions will tap into the region’s vibrant cultural scene, making the most of live theatre, craft and galleries – including the world-class Shepparton Art Museum.
It is estimated the Games will contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy, creating more than 600 fulltime equivalent jobs before the Games, 3,900 jobs during the Games and a further 3,000 jobs beyond the Closing Ceremony