The ‘slimmed down’ Glasgow Commonwealth Games will likely see a much smaller Isle of Man team competing in the 2026 event.

That’s the belief of Commonwealth Games Isle of Man president Basil Bielich. The Manx team in Birmingham in 2022 was 34-strong with competitors in eight different sports, but Mr Bielich is expecting a smaller team in two years’ time. Speaking this week after the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) confirmed that the Scottish city would be hosting the Games, Mr Bielich said: 'We're expecting the team to be fewer in number than in Birmingham because of the overall reduction in numbers and sports.

'Organisers, however, haven't explained how the numbers will be allocated over the nations taking part yet.

‘We're expecting that will happen over the next two to three weeks.

'It's all a bit up in the air, but we're expecting to take a lot less this time.

'The various sports associations are in the process of setting their selection standards based on previous Games. It will then be up to us then to decide as a committee who will go in the spaces available from those that have qualified.’

The Isle of Man has participated in the Games since 1958, bringing home 12 medals in total including three golds. The majority of these have come in shooting and road cycling, neither of which will be taking place in the Glasgow games with the programme limited to 10 sports, down from 19 in 2022. The 23rd edition of the Games will take place in Scotland between July 23 and August 2 of that year, returning to the city 12 years after the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

The Australian state of Victoria withdrew as 2026 hosts due to rising costs in 2023 and it appeared that the Games might have to be cancelled entirely. However, reports earlier this summer revealed officials in Glasgow had been sounded out about the possibility of hosting the Games again.

Around 3,000 athletes (roughly 1,800 down on last time) will be competing from up to 74 Commonwealth nations and territories including the Isle of Man.

Para sport will once again be fully integrated as a key priority and point of difference for the Games, with six Para sports included on the sport programme.

The sports programme will include athletics and para athletics (track and field), swimming and para swimming, artistic gymnastics, track cycling and para track cycling, netball, weightlifting and para powerlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and para bowls, and 3x3 basketball and 3x3 wheelchair basketball.

This means there is no place for badminton, beach volleyball, cricket, diving, mountain biking, road cycling, rhythmic gymnastics, field hockey, rugby sevens, squash, table tennis, triathlon and wrestling - all of which were in the Games two years ago. The Games will take place across four venues: Scotstoun Stadium, Tollcross International Swimming Centre, Emirates Arena – including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, and the Scottish Event Campus (SEC).

Athletes and support staff will be housed in hotel accommodation. It will be the biggest sporting event in the United Kingdom in 2026.

Commonwealth Games Federation chief executive Katie Sadleir said: ‘On behalf of the entire Commonwealth Sport Movement, we are delighted to officially confirm that the 2026 Commonwealth Games will take place in the host city of Glasgow.

’The 2026 Games will be a bridge to the Commonwealth Games of tomorrow – an exciting first step in our journey to reset and redefine the Games as a truly collaborative, flexible and sustainable model for the future that minimises costs, reduces the environmental footprint, and enhances social impact – in doing so increasing the scope of countries capable of hosting.’

Commonwealth Games Scotland chief executive Jon Doig OBE said: ‘We’re absolutely delighted to have secured Glasgow as hosts of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

‘When we started pulling this concept together just under a year ago, our focus was on creating a Games that was different – that could be delivered to the highest quality, in the short time frame, in a financially sustainable way.

‘Glasgow 2026 will have all the drama, passion and joy that we know the Commonwealth Games delivers even if it is to be lighter and leaner than some previous editions. It will be more accessible, delivered on a smaller footprint which brings our fans closer to the sporting action.’