- In this piece, SportPesa Blog Kenya explains why Kenya 7s will not be participating at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
- The Commonwealth Games are currently underway in Glasgow, Scotland, and will run from July 23 to August 2.
- Rugby Sevens is among the sports that were removed due to financial pressure and major logistical challenges affecting the Games.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are underway in Glasgow, Scotland, with ten core sports bringing the action from July 23 to August 2.
But while the excitement continues to build, something feels different this time around. One of the tournament’s biggest attractions is missing. Rugby Sevens is not part of the Games.
It feels unusual because Sevens has become such a familiar part of the Commonwealth story.
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Since making its first appearance at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Games, the sevens format has grown into one of the event’s most exciting competitions.
First it was an optional event in 2002 and 2006, then it got promoted to core status from 2010 onward, making it a non negotiable part of the program, until now.
Why Rugby is missing from the 2026 Commonwealth Games
The reason behind its absence goes far beyond the pitch.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games have been shaped by financial pressure and major logistical challenges that forced organizers to rethink the entire event.
Originally, the Australian state of Victoria was scheduled to host the 2026 edition, but they pulled out abruptly when projected costs skyrocketed past a staggering $4 billion.
With the whole multi sport extravaganza on the verge of collapse, Glasgow swooped in as an emergency host at the eleventh hour, operating under a strict, self funded budget.
To keep things financially viable without squeezing Scottish taxpayers, organisers had to drastically shrink the programme to just ten core sports.
That meant heartbreakingly axing expensive team events like Rugby Sevens, hockey, and cricket.
Kenya’s men’s sevens squad, Shujaa, are among those feeling the sting of this year’s shake up. They have been a regular feature of the tournament for years, so missing out cuts deep.
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This was supposed to be their perfect stage to prove their mettle and wash away the disappointment of a brutally rough season.
Earlier this year, they got relegated to HSBC SVNS Division 2 after finishing ninth at the World Championship, so they were absolutely itching for a chance to bounce back on a big global stage.
Historically, Shujaa have brought serious fire to this competition and delivered some memorable performances.
Their peak form came during the 2010 Delhi and 2014 Glasgow editions, where they battled their way to back to back seventh place finishes.
Even in their last outing at the 2022 Birmingham Games, they showed that trademark Kenyan grit, snagging another solid seventh place after qualifying for the main cup quarterfinals.
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New Zealand dominated the Games men’s Rugby Sevens tournament from its inception until 2014, when they suffered their first-ever Commonwealth Games defeat in the gold medal match against South Africa.
The 2022 edition also marked the first time New Zealand failed to reach the gold medal match in either the men’s or women’s competitions.
The defending champions are Blitzboks, who claimed gold in 2022 by defeating Fiji and were expected to defend their title this year.
However, South Africa, alongside other global powerhouses such as Fiji, All Blacks, and Australia, were all denied the opportunity to compete after Rugby Sevens was removed from the 2026 Commonwealth Games program entirely.