Commonwealth Games 2026 Begins in Glasgow: India’s 126-Strong Squad Led by Neeraj Chopra and Mirabai Chanu

The wait is over. The Commonwealth Games 2026 get under way in Glasgow, Scotland, running from 23 July to 2 August, with the opening ceremony and the first medal events on the schedule. It is a Games like no other in recent memory — smaller, leaner and reimagined — and India arrive with a 126-member contingent and genuine medal ambitions led by two of the country’s biggest stars.

A Games reimagined

This is the most pared-back Commonwealth Games in more than three decades. After the original hosts withdrew over rising costs, Glasgow stepped in to save the event, but only by dramatically reducing its scale. The 2026 edition features just 10 sports across four venues, with around 3,000 athletes from 74 nations — the smallest Games since the early 1990s. It is a deliberate, cost-conscious model designed to keep the Commonwealth Games viable for the future.

India’s contingent and disciplines

India’s 126-strong squad will compete across the able-bodied programme in athletics, boxing, weightlifting, judo, artistic gymnastics, track cycling, bowls and swimming, while the country’s para-athletes will feature in para-athletics, 3×3 wheelchair basketball, para-powerlifting, para-swimming and para-track cycling. The reduced sport list means some traditional Indian strongholds are absent, placing extra focus on the disciplines that remain — chief among them athletics and weightlifting.

The headline acts

All eyes will be on Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic and world javelin champion, who remains India’s biggest track-and-field draw and a strong favourite for gold. Alongside him, weightlifting great Mirabai Chanu spearheads India’s challenge in a sport that has been a reliable source of Commonwealth medals. Between them, the two carry much of the nation’s expectation into Glasgow.

Beyond the marquee names, India’s athletics squad is deep and in form — as recent results such as the Asian U23 Championships and strong Commonwealth-selection marks in the shot put and triple jump have shown. Praveen Chithravel and Selva Prabhu (triple jump) and Tajinderpal Singh Toor (shot put) are among those arriving with real podium hopes.

Key dates for Indian fans

• Opening ceremony: 23 July
• Weightlifting: 26-30 July
• Athletics: 27 July – 1 August, at Scotstoun Stadium
• Closing ceremony: 2 August

What to expect

A smaller Games does not mean smaller stakes. For India’s athletes, Glasgow 2026 offers a high-profile stage in an Olympic cycle, a chance to test form against Commonwealth rivals, and — for the likes of Neeraj Chopra and Mirabai Chanu — an opportunity to add another major title to already glittering résumés. With the action beginning today, India’s medal count is about to start ticking.

Prime Hunt Daily brings you full coverage of India’s campaign at the Commonwealth Games 2026, event by event.